Methamphetamine Psychosis

Methamphetamine psychosis is what can happen from prolonged methamphetamine use or Overdose. A person suffering from methamphetamine psychosis has delusions and Hallucinations and goes into a confused psychotic state.

Methamphetamine is a Central nervous system Stimulant that at low doses acts as an “upper,” putting the body into overdrive. The meth user experiences a feeling of increased energy and alertness.

At high doses methamphetamine can bring about a Drug-induced psychosis where the user becomes subject to paranoia, confusion, and hallucinations, often resulting in violence. Prolonged methamphetamine use or methamphetamine Addiction can have the same results.

The less dangerous effect of methamphetamine psychosis is a confused, disoriented state. Meth users may repeat the same common action over and over again, such as repeatedly washing their hands or arranging and rearranging everyday objects. They may also experience tactile hallucinations where they feel bugs crawling on them, or feel something moving under their skin.

But methamphetamine psychosis can also bring about extremely violent, destructive behavior. Users may have frightening visual hallucinations, such as seeing wild animals or armed aggressors coming to attack them. Meth addicts often suffer from paranoia and become convinced they are surrounded by enemies. They often hear voices, which commonly command violent or aggressive behavior, and they can react to their hallucinations with intense aggression.

Meth psychosis can commonly last for days after the last does of methamphetamine was taken. In some cases it lasts for weeks or even years.

Frightening as these symptoms can be, methamphetamine help is available. It is possible to recover from meth addiction and meth psychosis. The important thing is to seek treatment immediately before further damage is done—before the user’s brain is further damaged and before the methamphetamine induced violence results in serious injury or death.

Definitions of Terms Used

Term	Description
Addiction	Strong physiological, emotional and/or psychological dependence on a substance such as alcohol or drugs that has progressed beyond voluntary control. For more on addiction see the section Addiction Information in this website.
Central nervous system	The brain and spinal cord.
Drug	Any substance, other than food, that changes the function or structure of the body or mind when ingested. Drugs essentially are poisons. The degree they are taken determines the effect. A small amount acts as a stimulant. A greater amount acts as a sedative. A larger amount acts as a poison and can kill one dead. This is true of any drug. Each has a different amount at which it gives those results.
Hallucinations	Perceptions of something (such as a visual image or a sound) that does not really exist. Hallucinations usually arise from a disorder of the nervous system or in response to drugs (such as LSD).
Methamphetamine	A commonly abused, potent stimulant drug that is part of a larger family of amphetamines.
Overdose	The condition that results when too much of a drug is taken, making a person sick or unconscious and sometimes resulting in death.
Stimulant	A class of drugs that elevates mood, increases feelings of well-being, and increases energy and alertness. These drugs produce euphoria and are powerfully rewarding. Stimulants include cocaine, Methamphetamine, and methylphenidate (Ritalin).