How Crystal Meth Affects the Brain

Effects of Methamphetamine on the Brain and Nervous System

Often, when a person first begins to develop an addiction, they are not focused on addiction’s possible physical and psychological consequences. Their primary focus is the blissful things they feel once a drug such as methamphetamine has completely consumed their system through no fault of their own. Their fear, anxiety, or pain is gone, which makes the drug all the more alluring. However, the impact of an addiction to methamphetamine could negatively affect you for the rest of your life.

What Is Methamphetamine?

Methamphetamine is an incredibly addictive stimulant and a drug that many of our clients struggle with. This drug is human-made and has the appearance of pieces of glass or even rocks that are white in color. It’s not uncommon for a person to either snort or smoke this substance just once and become addicted to the mind’s alternating effects on the brain.

Parts of the Brain and Central Nervous System Affects by Crystal Meth

Your central nervous system has a direct impact on both your spinal cord and your brain. In short, your central nervous system makes sure that the primary functions associated with these two essential parts of your body are continuously running in conjunction with each other. Crystal meth impedes these functions, which can result in your central nervous system not working correctly but can also have an effect on these essential parts of your brain:

The cerebellum controls a variety of cognitive functions as well as general movement
The hippocampus helps you to absorb new information and data
The frontal and prefrontal cortex plays a role in your problem-solving and attention capabilities

Long Term Effects of Meth on the Brain

The negative impact of meth on your brain is nearly endless. Not only do you run a high risk of overdosing and dying as a result of your addiction, but you may also face the following:

Movement issues

Due to the impact that meth has on your central nervous system, you will likely notice that you have trouble which certain simple and complex skills. The longer that your addiction goes on, a simple task such as walking may become increasingly difficult.

Improper judgment

When your brain is not working at total capacity, there is a strong possibility that you will not be able to maintain the ability to make the best decisions for yourself or solve specific problems. This could lead to you becoming impulsive and putting either yourself or someone around you in danger.

Cognitive Effects of Chronic Meth Abuse

The effects of chronic meth abuse are not just confined to your brain. You may also be severely cognitively affected by methamphetamine in these ways:

Problems with memory

Once crystal meth has seeped into your brain, you will quickly begin to notice that you may have trouble remembering certain things that may only have happened recently.

Attention to detail

Meth can significantly impede your ability to focus on concentrate on a particular task for any period. Whereas you may have been able to sit and read an entire book and remember every detail of it before your addiction, you will likely struggle to make it through a sentence of two.

Treatment for Methamphetamine at Muse

The Muse Treatment Center strives to provide you with the comprehensive support and understanding that you need during this transitional period in your life. Whether you need the immediate care that our inpatient program offers or are interested in enrolling in one of our outpatient programs, you can rest assured that our staff will help you overcome your addiction to crystal meth. One of our sober living specialists is available right now to help you start the process. Please give us a call today at 800-426-1818 to begin your road to recovery.

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