Methamphetamine is a very powerful stimulant drug that’s often produced, sold, and bought illegally for recreational use due to the potent and euphoric high it causes.
However, like many stimulant substances, as the effects wear off, it’s common to feel a lot lower or have severely reduced energy. This is referred to as the meth comedown or meth crash.
Think of it like when you drink a highly caffeinated energy drink. At first, you’ll feel great and full of energy, but after it wears off a couple of hours later, many people feel worse or highly fatigued. A similar effect happens with meth, but since meth is much more powerful, the comedown is also worse.
In the rest of this article, we’ll explore in more detail what meth comedown is, how it affects the body, and how it contributes to meth addiction. Keep reading for all the details.
What is Meth Comedown?
The meth comedown is an intensely low or fatigued feeling that suddenly comes on after the high from the drug fades away. Many people who experience this crash will feel like things they usually enjoy are completely disinteresting or unenjoyable, such as spending time with friends or watching a show they love.
Some might even have other reactions during the meth comedown, such as increased anxiety or agitation as your hormones readjust to not being in a highly stimulated state. Plus, when someone is addicted to or dependent on meth, they will also feel strong cravings to take more of the drug.
Duration of Meth Comedown
Depending on how much of the drug you took and your body’s reaction to it, the comedown can last anywhere between a few hours to a few days, and small effects may linger up to two weeks after using meth. For most people, it’s around 24-48 hours, and many will sleep most of the time during the comedown.
Why Does the Meth Comedown Happen?
To understand why the comedown happens, it’s important to know how meth affects the brain and body.
Meth is a central nervous system stimulant. When you take meth, it’ll cause a sudden release of several “feel-good” hormones in the brain called dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine due to speeding up your brain’s chemical messaging system. This is what causes the stimulating and intense meth high.
However, as the drug wears off, the brain suddenly stops releasing those hormones. Additionally, since the central nervous system works so hard to stimulate mental and bodily functions during this high, it’ll come to a screeching halt since your body and mind need to recover afterward.
Therefore, you end up in a state where your brain isn’t producing as many of those feel-good hormones as it usually would. Plus, the fatigue on the central nervous system will make you feel really exhausted, almost to the point of not wanting to move.
Symptoms of Meth Comedown
To give you a more detailed overview of what the meth comedown is like, here’s a broader list of potential symptoms that can occur:
- Increased fatigue
- Agitation or anxiety
- Irritability or mood swings
- Increased appetite or having no appetite at all
- Extreme sleepiness
- Unpleasant dreams
- Depression
- Lack of motivation
- Strong cravings or desire to take more meth
- Lack of satisfaction in generally enjoyable activities
When someone experiences these symptoms after taking meth, they’ll be in a very unpleasant state. It’s common to miss work or school because they have no motivation to get up and go. Some might even have extreme bouts of anxiety or panic attacks when their body is having a bad reaction to these chemical changes.
How to Manage Meth Comedown
If you or someone you care about is experiencing a comedown after taking meth, the best thing to do is seek help from a treatment center. On your own, you may try to get some rest and stay hydrated to refuel the body. Additionally, even if you don’t feel hungry, it’s a good idea to eat something since your body is so depleted during this time.
But it’s common for someone who’s taken meth for a long time to experience withdrawal symptoms after they stop taking it, which can add to the effects of meth comedown. Meth withdrawal often consists of shaking, nausea, insomnia, anxiety, and strong cravings for meth.
When you or someone you care about is experiencing this, you don’t have to go through it alone. Addiction treatment centers can help with a medical detox and a full rehab program that will get you back on the right track.
Plus, having medical attention during withdrawal is a good idea in case more severe symptoms like hallucinations, seizures, or trouble breathing occur. Trained medical professionals will know how to keep you safe and comfortable during this time.
Importance of Seeking Help
Due to the symptoms of meth comedown and withdrawal, it’s common for those who abuse the substance to get into a cycle of using it and feeling like they can’t stop.
For instance, someone might feel extremely fatigued after using meth and take more to help themselves get out of their funk. It feels better at that moment and can seem like it’s helping. However, that’s why many people use meth in binge-like patterns for days or weeks at a time, which in turn worsens the dependence and addiction to it.
Plus, during withdrawal, it’s common to feel intense cravings for meth, which are hard to ignore without the right support around you. Therefore, seeking proper treatment and a program that can be tailored to your needs is essential to make a full recovery.
Going to a rehab center is a good place to start. There, the treatment professionals can provide you with a full diagnosis, learn more about your history of meth use, and create a program designed for your needs. Treatment programs typically consist of detox, therapy, support group meetings, and building life skills to maintain long-term sobriety.
Conclusion
The meth comedown can feel very intense and have lasting effects that make it more likely to become addicted to the substance. That said, you don’t have to go through it alone.
If you or a loved one is struggling with a meth addiction, our treatment center can help. We provide medical detox and residential treatment tailored to your needs, guided by our team of knowledgeable and friendly treatment professionals. You can contact us today to learn more and take the first steps toward recovery.
References
- Mancino, Michael J., et al. “Characterizing Methamphetamine Withdrawal in Recently Abstinent Methamphetamine Users: A Pilot Field Study.” The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, vol. 37, no. 2, 11 Jan. 2011, pp. 131–136, https://doi.org/10.3109/00952990.2010.543998. Accessed 8 June 2022.
- Zorick, Todd, et al. “Withdrawal Symptoms in Abstinent Methamphetamine-Dependent Subjects.” Addiction, vol. 105, no. 10, 15 Sept. 2010, pp. 1809–1818, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3071736/, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.03066.x.
- Jones, Christopher M., et al. “Patterns and Characteristics of Methamphetamine Use among Adults — United States, 2015–2018.” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, vol. 69, no. 12, 27 Mar. 2020, pp. 317–323, https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6912a1.
- Shahmohammadi, F., et al. “Neural Correlates of Craving in Methamphetamine Abuse.” Basic and Clinical Neuroscience Journal, vol. 7, no. 3, 2016, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4981834/. Accessed 2 Nov. 2022.
