How Long Does Meth Stay in Your System?
Some may ask, how long does meth stay in your system? Meth use can be dangerous, and its effects can be felt for a long time. Read on to learn more.
What is Methamphetamine?
Methamphetamine or “meth” is a stimulant that primarily affects the body’s central nervous system. It is highly addictive, dangerous, and oftentimes leads to severe short-term and long-term health complications. Because methamphetamine is very powerful and potent, a small amount of meth can result in addiction or physical dependence.
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What is the Half-Life of Meth?
Other names for meth include speed, chalk, crank, crystal, and ice. The half-life of meth is 10 hours. That means it takes 10 hours for ingested/absorbed methamphetamine to lose half of its strength. Thousands of people are driven to keep taking meth because of this half-life.1
Meth addiction is a very dangerous condition, and it can happen after ingesting methamphetamine just once. Thousands of Americans have experienced meth addiction. It's important to know how long meth stays in your system – and how to get it out of your system quickly – in the event of an emergency.2
How Long Does Meth Stay in Your System?
When the body absorbs meth, its effects reach the brain and nervous system very quickly. The effects of meth can be felt immediately. However, meth remains in the body for much longer than those short-term effects.
Depending on how much meth is taken, the time of day it is taken, and the administration method (such as taken orally, injected the IV, etc.), meth’s effects can last 8 to 24 hours.
Meth Half-Life
Because meth is so potent, it can be detected in the body for variable time frames depending on the test administered.3
Meth can be detected for the following time span, according to the type of testing conducted:
Factors That Influence How Long Meth Stays in Your System
Meth can stay in one’s system for shorter or longer times depending on various factors, including:
How Long Does Meth Last?
Methamphetamine lasts throughout several distinct stages. Because it is a central nervous system stimulant, it increases how much dopamine the brain produces and can induce many physiological and psychological effects.
1st Stage: The Rush
During the Rush stage, dopamine floods the brain as the initial effects of meth are induced. This lasts for 30 minutes or so.
2nd Stage: The High
During the High stage, users can experience bursts of rapid thinking, may display obsessive behavior, and may feel increased awareness of their surroundings. This lasts for between four and 16 hours.
3rd Stage: The Binge
In the Binge phase, an individual may feel a strong craving to absorb more methamphetamine. Unfortunately, this may result in worse negative symptoms later in the process.
4th Stage: The Tweak
In the Tweak stage, the methamphetamine user can feel itchy, experience insomnia, or begin to grow paranoid. The earliest withdrawal symptoms may set in.
5th Stage: The Crash
During the Crash stage, the methamphetamine starts to wear off, and the user may experience withdrawal symptoms. They may feel their energy decline sharply.
6th Stage: The Hangover
In the Hangover stage, a methamphetamine user could experience early withdrawal symptoms like agitation or inability to focus. They may become restless and crave more meth to absorb.
7th Stage: Withdrawal
The Withdrawal stage is very dangerous and can lead to risky behavior. Withdrawal can last for several hours, days, or even weeks. Common side effects of withdrawal include an increased appetite, fever, dizziness, irritability, anger and aggression, depression, psychosis, delusions, sweating, and more.
Common Side Effects of Meth Use
Meth use can lead to many severe and negative side effects in both the short and long term. These will be detailed below.
Short-Term Side Effects
Some of the most common short-term side effects of meth use include:
Long-Term Side Effects
Meth use may also lead to negative long-term side effects, including but not limited to:4
How to Get Methamphetamine Out of Your System
Meth withdrawal can be incredibly dangerous because it impacts the brain and central nervous system. The best way to get methamphetamine out of one’s system is to enter a meth withdrawal management program.
In such programs, medical professionals can help patients through the detox process. They can also help patients manage their symptoms during meth withdrawal.
Symptoms of Meth Overdose
More importantly, withdrawal management programs allow medical supervisors to watch for the symptoms of meth overdosing, which include:
Meth Withdrawal and Detox
The common symptoms of methamphetamine withdrawal include:
The effects of meth withdrawal are very difficult to handle alone. It’s important for you or a loved one to seek help and treatment for methamphetamine use or addiction at the earliest opportunity.
Get Help for Meth Addiction at Boardwalk Recovery
At Boardwalk Recovery, we can help patients overcome the symptoms of methamphetamine withdrawal and guide them through the detox process. More importantly, our medical professionals can ensure that patients are kept safe from themselves and others, as well as provide important counseling resources to prevent future methamphetamine use/relapses. Contact us today for more information.
Resources
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1199019/
- https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/methamphetamine/what-scope-methamphetamine-misuse-in-united-states
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-long-does-meth-stay-in-your-system
- https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/methamphetamine/what-are-long-term-effects-methamphetamine-misuse
