Addiction to methamphetamine has become an increasing struggle for people across the United States. Meth is a dangerous drug and highly addictive.
If you’re dealing with an addiction, you’re not alone. If you’re currently using these types of drugs, you may wonder how long do methamphetamines stay in your system.
This information is important for drug testing purposes and assessing the impact methamphetamines are having on your mental and physical health.
Here’s a guide to how long meth stays in your system after using it.
How Long Do Methamphetamines Stay in Your System?
The length of time meth remains in your system depends on various factors. These include your individual metabolism, dosage, and frequency of use.
To understand the effects of methamphetamines, you should know about its basic pharmacology and the effect these types of drugs have on your mind and body.
What Is Methamphetamine?
Methamphetamine, also called meth, crystal meth, crank, or ice is a powerful stimulant. It affects the nervous system and results in an immediate, intense high.
The effects of meth can lead to increased focus, energy, and a sense of euphoria. But, these effects are short-lived, and the drug can cause serious damage to your physical and mental health.
Meth is a synthetic drug. It’s similar in composition to amphetamine and shares some of the same effects.
Meth comes in various forms, including a white powder, clear crystals, or bitter powder. It can be swallowed, smoked, snorted, or injected.
Each type of ingestion has a different effect on the brain and body.
The Effects of Meth
When someone injects meth, it reaches the brain quickly and speeds the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that’s associated with reward and pleasure. This produces an intense rush that meth users find extremely pleasurable and keeps them coming back for more.
Over time, continued use of meth leads to drug addiction and damage to the heart, brain, and other organs. As time passes, you may lose interest in the things that once mattered most, including your job, education, hobbies, friends, and family.
The primary focus becomes getting and using meth. What may start out as fun in the mind of the user can quickly spiral out of control into drug addiction.
The short-term effects of meth include:
- Decreased appetite
- Wakefulness
- Increased physical activity
These effects don’t last long. The high wears off, and the crash that follows can be quite brutal. Then, irritability, fatigue, and depression follow.
Long-term use of meth can have devastating effects on your mental and physical health. Prolonged usage can lead to:
- Tooth decay and tooth loss
- Gum disease
- Rapid weight loss
- Malnutrition
- Neglect of self-care
- Cognitive impairment and memory loss
- Psychosis, hallucinations, and delusions
- Organ damage
Using meth increases your chances of acquiring infectious diseases, including hepatitis, HIV, and more. This is due to the risky behaviors associated with drug use, such as needle sharing or engaging in unprotected sex.
Although meth provides users with a temporary escape, the long-term consequences are devastating. From “meth mouth” to organ damage to mental health problems, the toll this drug takes on the user’s body and mind can’t be ignored.
Factors That Influence How Long Meth Stays in Your System
There are a variety of factors that determine the length of time that methamphetamine stays in your system. These factors vary depending on the individual and can affect the drug’s metabolism and elimination.
Dosage and Frequency of Use
The amount of meth and how often you take it affect how long it’s detectable in your body. Frequent usage and higher doses can cause meth to build up in your body. This can increase the time of detection.
The half-life of meth is 10 to 12 hours. This means it takes that long for half of the drug to get eliminated from your body.
It may take several half-lives for the drug to clear from your system.
Individual Metabolism and Overall Health
Every person has a unique metabolism, and this affects how their body will process meth. Factors like weight, age, liver function, and general health influence how fast the drug is metabolized and eliminated.
A person with an efficient metabolism and good health may eliminate the drug faster than someone with a weaker metabolic system. Some health conditions and medications can impact the metabolism of meth in the body and prolong its presence.
Methods of Use and Drug Purity
The purity of the drug impacts how long it stays in the body. A purer form of methamphetamine is metabolized and eliminated faster than meth that’s cut or mixed with other drugs or substances.
The method of use affects the drug’s duration as well. Injecting or smoking meth leads to a speedier effect than snorting or swallowing it. That’s because injecting or smoking meth delivers it to the bloodstream and brain faster.
With these methods of ingestion, the body may metabolize and eliminate meth faster than with other methods of use.
How Long Will Meth Stay in Your Urine?
After ingesting meth, it metabolizes to amphetamine. Drug tests that detect meth will also detect amphetamines. The average time meth can be detected in urine ranges from three to five days after use.
The time may be longer for chronic meth users.
How Long Will Meth Stay in Your Blood?
Testing blood or oral fluids for meth can be more accurate than urine tests. The metabolites are detectable for a few days after using meth.
These testing methods have a lower detection interval than urine testing and are used less often.
How Long Will Meth Stay in Your Hair?
Drugs, including meth, are detectable in hair long after your last use. Meth is detectable in the hair around 90 days after use.
Hair testing is more common in forensic or research testing. It’s less common in the workplace or clinical setting.
Meth is an extremely harmful and addictive drug. If you or a loved one has a suspected meth addiction, seek treatment right away.
The sooner a person begins drug addiction treatment after developing an addiction, the easier getting sober will be.
Second-Hand Smoke From Meth
Research is unclear as to whether breathing second-hand smoke from meth can cause someone to get high. However, it can result in a positive test result for methamphetamine.
More research is needed into the dangers of second-hand methamphetamine smoke.
Meth Withdrawal
Meth is a stimulant that impacts the brain. Meth withdrawal can be quite dangerous.
If you’re ready to get help for a meth addiction, it’s important to be in a supervised medical detox center. You want a safe and supportive environment as you begin the recovery process.
The benefit of medical detox is the around-the-clock emotional and clinical care you’ll receive that minimizes the chance of complications or relapse.
Drug detox helps rid your body of physical dependence on meth. This typically takes seven to ten days.
Once this process is complete, you transition to inpatient or outpatient treatment. The severity of withdrawal symptoms varies depending on the scale and duration of meth use and whether any other drugs are being used.
Drug withdrawal symptoms are unpleasant and involve intense cravings for the drug. This often motivates the drug user to continue using meth.
The longer and heavier the use, the longer it takes for meth to leave your system.
Withdrawal symptoms from meth include:
- Anxiety and depression
- Increases appetite
- Inability to feel pleasure
- Irritability
- Fatigue
- Anger
- Lethargy
- Muscle weakness
- Sweating
- Fever
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Inability to concentrate
- Paranoia
- Delusions
- Psychosis
- Suicidal ideation
Get the Help You Need
Substance-use disorder involves drug-seeking behavior and continued use despite the negative effects of the drug.
If you’re addicted to methamphetamine, there is hope for recovery and getting sober. The cycle of addiction is difficult to break, and it’s not something you want to tackle on your own.
However, it is possible to break free of your addiction with the right treatment, support, medications, and encouragement and move on to a happier, healthier life.
Meth withdrawal symptoms are at their worst the first 24 to 48 hours after you stop using but can go on for months after detox. Withdrawal from methamphetamine can be dangerous due to its impact on the brain.
Detox from meth should only occur under medical supervision. A quality detox facility helps ensure a safe and comfortable detox process.
If you’re dealing with an addiction to meth or other harmful substances, it’s essential to get the addiction treatment and counseling you need. This is your best chance for a successful, long-lasting recovery.
Finding the Right Drug Addiction Treatment for You
If you’re dealing with an addiction to methamphetamine, you’re not alone. Meth is a dangerous drug, and it can be hard to break the cycle of addiction.
The good news is that many people just like you have conquered their addiction and moved on to a healthy, sober life. You can, too!
If you’re asking, “How long do methamphetamines stay in your system?” it may be time to make a change and seek treatment.
At Reflections, we offer a holistic approach to addiction recovery with individual treatment plans in a five-star luxury setting. We would love to help you begin a life free from addiction.
Contact Reflections today to learn more about what we have to offer.
