Short & Long-Term Effects of Meth Abuse

Methamphetamine (commonly referred to as meth) is a powerful stimulant drug. While meth is currently available in a single prescription drug used to treat obesity and ADHD (Desoxyn®),1 the majority of meth users get the drug through illicit means.

Methamphetamine is a Schedule II substance, meaning it has a high potential for abuse.1 Misusing the drug results in serious short-term and long-term effects, some of which can be life-altering, such as brain damage, heart disease, and meth addiction.

Short-Term Effects of Meth Use

Many people turn to meth to experience the desired short-term effects of the drug, such as enhanced alertness, confidence, and energy.2 People can experience these feelings immediately upon use or within 20 minutes, depending on the method of use.2 While the initial, potent “rush” of euphoric feelings only lasts between five and 30 minutes, lingering feelings of heightened energy can be felt for six to 12 hours.3 

Methamphetamine is hard on the body and is accompanied by a host of adverse effects, along with the effects the user craves. The short-term effects of meth abuse can include:2,3

• Paranoia
• Anxiety
• Irregular heartbeat
• Fast heart rate
• Increased blood pressure
• Disturbed sleep
• Hallucinations

While one might assume that it takes months or years of meth use before real damage is done to the body, this isn’t the case. Serious health complications can be a result of one-time use and can happen almost immediately. These dangerous short-term effects of methamphetamine can include:2,3

• Stroke
• Kidney damage
• Seizures
• Nonfatal overdose (also referred to as “overamping”)
• Fatal overdose

Signs of Meth Overdose

Overdose is the leading cause of death among meth users.4 While meth carries a high risk of overdose on its own, the chances of fatal overdose have increased in the last decade because meth is now being mixed or laced with highly unpredictable and potent substances, typically fentanyl.5 Illicit drug manufacturers don’t regulate how much fentanyl they add to meth, meaning a person using meth may be ingesting a fatal dose of fentanyl without even knowing they are taking it. 

There are common signs that someone is overdosing from meth. These can include:3

• Chest pain
• Irregular heart rhythm
• Dilated pupils
• Shortness of breath
• Increased body temperature
• Altered mental status
• Heart attack
• Gastrointestinal distress 

If you believe someone is overdosing from methamphetamine, call 911 and stay with them until medical professionals arrive.

Long-term Effects of Meth Abuse

In addition to the serious short-term effects of meth addiction, there are many long-term effects of meth abuse that can lead to lifelong health conditions. This damage can spread to all parts of the body and nearly every organ. These long-term effects can also include developing a substance use disorder, which can impact many aspects of a person’s life.  

Long-term effects of meth addiction include:2,3

• Lung damage
• Liver damage
• Kidney damage
• Severe tooth damage and loss
• Malnutrition
• Confusion
• Exhaustion
• Disorientation
• Insomnia
• Decreased sexual function in men
• Anxiety
• Skin problems like sores and abscesses 

Some of the most harmful long-term effects of methamphetamine, however, affect the brain and heart.

Effects of Meth on the Brain

Methamphetamine abuse can be catastrophic to a person’s brain. Not only does it deplete the brain of its natural reservoir of the pleasure-creating neurotransmitter dopamine, but it also damages the dopamine nerve terminal.6 This damage means that a meth user may have a difficult time experiencing pleasure naturally, which leads them to return to the synthesized “pleasure” they experience from the drug.

This brain damage has also been tied to changes in cognitive function, with as many as 40% of methamphetamine users producing abnormal neuropsychiatric tests.6 These abnormal changes in brain function can include executive function, motor function, and, importantly, episodic memory.6 Episodic memory is how we re-experience past events and mistakes. By losing this function, chronic meth users aren’t able to remember all that their meth use has cost them. 

The brain damage from using meth can also lead a person to develop perseveration: which is where they are unable to change behavior, even when that behavior becomes destructive to their life.6 

Effects of Meth on the Heart

Out of all the health complications related to meth use, heart disease is one of the most concerning. Cardiovascular disease is the second-leading cause of death among meth abusers.4 Meth doesn’t just damage the heart in one way, it overwhelms the muscle through several means.

Meth abuse can cause:4,7

• The heart’s electrical system to rewire
• Blood vessels to constrict, forcing the heart to work harder to push blood through
• Dangerous spikes in blood pressure
• Plaque to build up on artery walls
• Arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythm)

Once the damage is done to the heart, it’s difficult or impossible to undo. This is why seeking treatment for meth addiction as soon as possible is so important.

Effects of Snorting, Smoking, or Injecting Meth

Popular ways to use meth include smoking, snorting, or injecting it.1 Each of these forms of ingestion carry their own unique health risks. 

Respiratory issues can result from smoking meth, while snorting the illicit powder can damage or destroy the soft tissue in the nose.3 Injecting the substance can increase the chances of contracting an infectious disease, such as HIV or viral hepatitis, due to shared needles.2 Shared injection equipment can also lead to bacterial infections, including a serious heart infection called infective endocarditis. 

Meth Addiction Treatment in Kansas City

The short- and long-term effects of meth can be devastating, but you can prevent the drug from harming your body any further. At Empowered Recovery Center in Kansas City, our skilled clinicians will give you the tools to achieve and maintain long-term sobriety from your meth addiction.

One of our first priorities will be getting the meth and any other substances out of your system through medical detox. After your detox you’ll be ready to enter an addiction treatment program where you can fully engage in the therapy sessions and learn various life skills to help you find long term recovery. Our clinical team will give a personalized recommendation for which of our programs would best suit your life, whether that be a more intensive partial hospitalization program or a more flexible program, such as our intensive outpatient program or standard outpatient program.

To learn what being admitted to our programs would look like, reach out to our rehab admissions team. They can answer any questions you have about our meth addiction treatment programs and explain the different ways our patients pay for rehab, including using insurance. We work with the major insurance providers and are happy to verify your benefits to see what your specific policy would cover. 

To find out if our methamphetamine addiction treatment would be a good fit for you or your loved one, give us a call or fill out our contact form today.

References 

1. Methamphetamine. (n.d.). FDA. Retrieved June 2, from https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2025-01/Methamphetamine-Drug-Fact-Sheet.pdf
2. Methamphetamine. (2025, January 30). National Institute on Drug Abuse. Retrieved June 2, from https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/methamphetamine#short-term
3. Yasaei R, Saadabadi (2023 May). Methamphetamine. StatPearls Publishing. Retrieved June 2, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK535356/
4. Meth and heart disease: A deadly crisis we don’t fully fathom, report says. (2019, August 21). American Heart Association. Retrieved June 3, from https://www.heart.org/en/news/2019/08/21/meth-and-heart-disease-a-deadly-crisis-we-dont-fully-fathom-report-says
5. Facts about Fentanyl. (n.d.). DEA. Retrieved June 2, from https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl
6. Rusyniak DE. Neurologic manifestations of chronic methamphetamine abuse. (2011, August 29). Neurol Clin. Retrieved June 2, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3148451/
7. Kevil, C. G., Goeders, N. E., Woolard, M. D., Bhuiyan, M. S., Dominic, P., Kolluru, G. K., Arnold, C. L., Traylor, J. G., & Orr, A. W. (2019). Methamphetamine Use and Cardiovascular Disease. Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology. Retrieved June 3, from https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/ATVBAHA.119.312461