What Are The Signs of Methamphetamine Use?

[LW75]

Is there a set of signs that people (like parents) could notice in their family member and that would be a sign the person may be abusing methamphetamines?

What about any early signs? Signs of a full-blow and well established addiction?

[mambios]

The person may exhibit anxiousness; nervousness; incessant talking; extreme moodiness and irritability; purposeless, repetitious behaviour, such as picking at skin or pulling out hair; sleep disturbances; false sense of confidence and power; aggressive or violent behaviour; disinterest in previously enjoyed activities; and severe depression.

That's about the general jist of it.

[attagirl]

Well this really does not say much, because there are people I know for a fact that exhibit a number of these things you listed. But they are not meth users, so how would you be able to tell if it is meth or something else or possibly even stress as these can occur when other issues are going on in someones life.

[190Proof]

A lot of meth users have a scent of chemical about them. Not sleeping is a major symptom. Glassy eyes and dilated pupils are easy to spot. Loss of weight. It is sometimes very hard to spot an addict. But on the bright side, if the symptoms are hard to spot, maybe the person has not hit the bottom, yet.

[jburket1969]

I was a meth addict, and I can tell you some signs that it's meth. Weight loss: rapid unnatural weight loss with periods of binging. When you're high, you don't eat. Then when you stop using for a few days, you binge eat everything in sight. I went from 200lbs to 150lbs in a matter of a couple of months. Dilated pupils: big black pupils. My pupils would look normal on day 1 of a meth binge, but by day 2 they were the size of dimes. Dark circles under the eyes: This is caused by lack of sleep which brings me to the whole sleep thing. It's a rare meth user who can sleep the first couple days. Eventually the body will just shut down and you'll go to sleep. Users often fall asleep at odd times and sleep very hard. You can throw water on them, bang pots and pans above their head, etc. and they won't budge. I've known people to crash from a binge and sleep for over 36 hours straight! Chapped or irritated lips: This is caused by dehydration, and close contact with some of the chemicals in meth, especially if the user is smoking it. This is also a result of the compulsive behavior of licking the lips and grinding the teeth. I never did, but some users display aggressive behavior. From my own personal observations, this is more prevalent in IV users.
I hope this helps. If you believe it's meth, it is very important to get help. My family intervened in my case, and sent me to Narconon Arrowhead I completed the program there, and have been clean for over a year now. Meth is a tough addiction to beat. Not so much physically, but the mental hold it get's on you is strong. There was a time I couldn't imagine life without it, now I could never imagine going back to it.

[reggaeuplifts03]

nervous, jumpy always looking around

[lowster11]

Taking on way to many projects at one time, like taking your computer apart while you are rebuilding a carburetor.

[Sweet16]

The easiest outwardly visible sign of Methamphetamine use is rapid weight loss. The amount of weight that someone looses can vary from person to person depending on their physical size and how rapidly their use progresses. On average a person can lose 8 to 10 pounds a month for several months in a row. Many young ladies are deceived by the drug by thinking it is a quick way to lose weight. Often the user goes past the point of looking normal into an appearance of looking to thin or has a sunken face. Many people look like “skin and bones”. Eating binges are common for those persons coming down from a several day Methamphetamine high.
__________________________________
Sweet16

This is a comprehensive addiction portal focusing on topics of alcohol and drug abuse. http://www.alcoholaddiction.org

[Taylor]

Can anyone recommend a place to go that is inexpensive and not so pricy?