Among the many illicit substances that an individual may become addicted to, meth is one of the most dangerous and destructive. This is due to the way it interacts with your brain the instant you ingest it, as well as how it damages your entire body in such a short amount of time.
Meth, or methamphetamine, is a highly addictive stimulant that can be snorted, smoked, or injected directly into your veins. But regardless of how it gets into your body, meth is the type of substance that literally deteriorates your teeth, destroys your insides1 — and causes what many refer to as meth stomach pain — and leaves you wasting away into a shell of your former self.
This is not a hyperbole. It is fact; and the sooner you understand the manner in which meth will destroy you, the sooner you can begin focusing on overcoming your addiction and saving your life from utter despair.
Why Does Meth Make Your Stomach Hurt?
The toxins found in meth can foundationally alter your body’s functionality and overall digestive health. Since meth is a lethal poison, the body will instinctively try to eliminate the substance from your system as quickly as possible. This often results in meth stomach pain, diarrhea and other digestive issues.
Side Effects of Meth Abuse
Meth has been shown to be extremely hard on your entire body, placing a heavy strain on your lungs, heart, brain, liver, kidneys, and individual muscles.
Additionally, it’s very harmful to your dental health, and it can devastate your mental health due to the neurological impact it has on your synapses and the chronic insomnia it can cause.
Crystal meth has a knack for destroying your body very quickly, which can result in a wide variety of serious physical health problems.
While the heart and brain are particularly susceptible to the damage inflicted by meth use, the way in which it impairs your intestinal processes and stomach lining can cause you significant health problems and meth stomach pain for years to come.2
Crystal Meth & Stomach and Digestive Issues: How Meth Damages the Stomach
Meth use is known to have a dampening effect on your appetite, causing disruption to your normal digestion process and stalling the manner in which your body processes food when you begin eating again.
Other known stomach and intestinal issues caused by meth use include:
- Intestinal ischemia
This refers to the condition where your blood vessels become constricted to the point that the intestines stop receiving enough oxygen, and their ability to properly function is compromised.
This can cause diarrhea, and intestinal cramping and even result in your digestion slowing down or even stopping completely. This can lead to reduced nutrient absorption, as the normal digestive functions of your gut are disrupted.3
- Increased risk of developing blood clots
Recent studies have indicated that consistently using meth can contribute to intestinal issues by blocking blood flow, resulting in necrosis and the presence of ulcers and perforations in the stomach and intestines.
This can also lead to an increased potential for the development of gangrene in the gastrointestinal system, which can leave you struggling with long-term stomach pain and serious digestive issues.3
- Reduced muscle function
Methamphetamine abuse has been shown to slow your digestion by reducing muscle function in your intestines. It’s common to sacrifice gut function to use the energy elsewhere for immediate survival as part of the fight-or-flight response, and the norepinephrine release that meth produces can hijack this response.
This can result in total blockage of the intestines or an intestinal infarction, which can be fatal.4
Life After Substance Abuse: You Can Get Clean from Crystal Meth
It’s important to remember that long-term recovery is not a final destination. It’s an ongoing process of facing your personal problems and coping with the stressors of life without relying on your addictive behaviors to cope.
Achieving long-term sobriety and sustained success in recovery takes ongoing commitment. That’s why it’s imperative to seek help when you need it; turn to addiction professionals to properly diagnose the severity of your addiction and suggest the best clinical approach to treat your substance use disorder.
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Learn MoreIndividualized, Holistic Meth Addiction Treatment at Ranch Creek Recovery
Make the decision to change your life for the better today.
At Ranch Creek Recovery, we know that undoing the damage of meth addiction can be messy, extremely uncomfortable and some of the hardest work you do in your life. But your addiction must end to have a life worth living.
At our holistic recovery center, our meth drug rehab program comprises medical and physical treatments, psychology, holistic and experiential therapies … all to help you forge the drug-free future you desire. Contact us today to learn more about our meth addiction treatment program to start your journey toward detox and recovery. We’re here to help in any way we can.
Learn where to get help for methamphetamine abuse:
Resources:
1WebMD. Side Effects ofMeth Use that You Probably Didn’t Know. Accessed July 13, 2021. https://www.webmd.com/connect-to-care/addiction-treatment-recovery/methamphetamine/little-known-meth-use-side-effects.
2American Addiction Centers. THE EFFECTS OF METH ON YOUR BODY. Accessed July 13, 2021. https://drugabuse.com/featured/the-effects-of-meth-on-your-body/.
3Medicine. Methamphetamine consumption and life-threatening abdominal complications. Accessed July 13, 2021. https://journals.lww.com/md-journal/Fulltext/2018/05040/Methamphetamine_consumption_and_life_threatening.47.aspx.
4National Center for Biotechnology Information. Methamphetamine-Associated Shock with Intestinal Infarction. Accessed July 13, 2021. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1480589/.
