There have been a lot of headlines recently about the opioid crisis as it leads to increasing rates of overdose and prescription drug abuse. However, there is another worrisome problem that hasn’t received as much coverage because of the concern about opioids. The use of methamphetamine has also become a growing problem as those working in clinics across the country have begun to notice. And meth overshadowing the opioid and the dangerous prescription drugs epidemic is a rarely talked about subject in this field.
Meth Overdose Crisis
The rate of overdose deaths involving meth have more than tripled in the past years since 2011. One of the biggest issues concerning meth is that it doesn’t have the type of medications available to help people get off the drug as in the case of opioids. There are also no options to reverse an overdose the way that naloxone can help people survive when they take a high dose of opioids.
Meth is a stimulant that causes a feeling of euphoria and elevated blood pressure that can lead to users going days without sleeping or eating. Overdosing on meth can be extremely dangerous and often leads to heart attacks, strokes and seizures. People that use meth often experiment with other drugs so it can be hard to pinpoint exactly what has caused their overdose for first responders.
Meth addiction can cause people to act erratically and it can cause serious damage to their mental and physical health. As the use of stimulants like meth begins to increase throughout the country it is important for people to have resources where they can get help. People addicted to meth are often paranoid and have various mental health symptoms that need to be addressed as well.
Although the opioid crisis has taken a tremendous toll on the country, the rise in meth overshadowing opioid epidemic is equally concerning and needs to be taken into account for the treatment of meth addiction.
