For users of meth, you will find that the possibility for a meth overdose is not a concept which is farfetched. Due to the addictive nature of the drug, and due to the fact that many users who use it regularly feel a need for the drug in their system, a meth overdose is something that can easily happen, if users are long term users, or if they have built up such a high tolerance to the drug, that they are not fully aware of the amount they are ingesting, which in turn leads to the meth overdose taking place.
A meth overdose takes place when the person will consume a higher level or amount than what their body is able to handle. For those who have built up an extreme tolerance to the drug, it is going to take a higher amount than for other users who are first time users, or only recreational users, for the meth overdose to actually happen. Depending on the individual who suffers the meth overdose, there are certain things which their body is going to experience. Some of the more common ones include an extreme amount of sweating, the rapid breathing and increased pace of their breathing, an increase in the heart rate is going to happen extremely quickly, and certain individuals who are experiencing a meth overdose are also going to have their pupils dilate. In many of the meth overdose cases, users are also going to experience an extreme rise in their body temperature which cannot be controlled, many will experience kidney failure, and in the most severe cases of a meth overdose, cardiovascular collapse is something that can happen, which may result in death.
How the meth overdose results -
Due to the fact that the drug increases an arousal in the user's central nervous system (it pumps up levels of 2 different neurotransmitters - norepinephrine and dopamine), the body is not able to control itself when these levels get to a level which is too high. When the meth is taken at lower doses, it will boost the user's level of alertness and will potentially block off hunger and fatigue which users would otherwise experience. When the drug is taken at higher doses (not at the level to reach a meth overdose) it can give the user a sense of euphoria and will cause exhilaration throughout the body. When the meth is taken at extremely high doses, not only will it cause agitation and paranoia in the user, but it is also going to lead to bizarre and odd behavior by the user. Along with the awkward behavior when a meth overdose occurs, the increase in one's heart rate, the increase in the blood pressure, and the steady climb in the user's temperature, which if it is not contained immediately, can cause extremely dangerous conditions for the individual who is undergoing a meth overdose.
What levels of use constitute a meth overdose -
An overdose of the drug can take place at a fairly low amount or level, as little as 50 milligrams of meth, if the individual is a non tolerant user, if they are a first time user, or if they are only a recreational user who has only experienced the effects of the drug a few times. As the drug is so potent, and as there are no methods to gauge how much is too much to constitute a meth overdose, there are no safe levels of consumption for those who are using the drug; and, due to the fact that each individual's metabolic rates, levels of strength, as well as how strong each batch purchased of the meth varies, there are really no methods to determine the amount which is going to lead to a meth overdose. In some cases one batch is going to be far stronger than the same quantity in another; so, even if less is used from that batch, a meth overdose is always a possibility for users, especially if they are not aware of how potent the batch they are smoking or ingesting the drug from is. Additionally, due to the fact that it is highly addictive (one of the most addictive drugs), some users will not even know what amounts they have used, which can quickly and easily lead to a meth overdose, even in those who are frequent users of the drug.
The symptoms which come along with a meth overdose -
For those experiencing a meth overdose, there are certain symptoms which are common in most cases of a meth overdose, and which commonly go hand in hand with too much consumption. Some of the most common of these symptoms includes:
- cardiovascular collapse;
- possibility of a heart attack, a stroke, or in some cases a coma;
- many users who are experiencing a meth overdose will have convulsions;
- the extreme increase of body temperature (which happens fairly quickly), as well as high fevers;
- the sudden and unexplained increased blood pressure and heart rate;
- many will experience excessive and nonstop sweating; and
- depending on the user, and how high the meth overdose was, there are other signs to look for when the drug is consumed, even at lower amounts when the individual does not overdose.
Seeking treatment for a meth overdose -
For those who have experienced a meth overdose, and were lucky enough to survive, seeking out treatment is something that has to be done. Checking in to an inpatient center is generally the best form of treatment, due to the tolerance you have built up to the drug, the ease of accessing it, and your addictive behavior; therefore, being in a center, where you are monitored 24/7, and are constantly under the watchful eye of trained doctors and nurses, it is far safer to be in one of these treatment facilities, rather than trying to get treatment at home. Making sure you know where to turn to, and get the help, are things addicts must do, in order to ensure they never experience another meth overdose again in the future.