Long-term Effects of Methamphetamine Use
Many methamphetamine users begin to use the drug heavily after only a short period of time, so some of what we call "long-term" effects actually affect the meth user fairly early. Heavy and/or long-term methamphetamine use can cause the following:
- Tooth decay
- Anxiety, paranoia, and insomnia
- Inability to function socially
- Psychotic behavior and violence
- Auditory hallucinations and delusions
- Homicidal or suicidal thoughts
- Elevated blood pressure
- Lowered resistance to disease
- Strokes
- Heart infections
- Lung disease
- Kidney damage
- Liver damage
- Lead poisoning
- Brain damage similar to Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease
- Premature delivery when used during pregnancy
- Babies born to women who use suffer cardiac defects, cleft palate, and other birth defects
- Increased risk of contracting HIV/AIDS and hepatitis B and C
- Death
