Living with meth addiction is difficult and isolating. It can cause problems with your relationships, job, and other aspects of your life. Sometimes, it can result in a legal intervention that requires you to quit using meth and prove it with drug tests. Drug tests are also common in addiction treatment centers to help you remain accountable. If you want to know how long meth stays in your system, you may be facing one of these tests, or you may just be trying to understand when you can finally start the road to recovery.
The meth high never lasts, but recovery can. Red Oak Recovery® offers meth addiction treatment at our center in Asheville, NC. Our clinician-run treatment center offers specialized treatment for young men 18–30. Through compassionate, evidence-based treatment, you can find a better way forward. Call 828.382.9699 to get started.
The Meth High Never Lasts
When you smoke, snort, or inject meth, you experience a euphoric, energizing rush that makes it easy to ignore the negative consequences you’re about to endure. The different ways you can use meth influence how long the high lasts. For most, though, the rush starts within minutes and peaks about 2–4 hours later. About 6–15 hours later, the high should wear off.1
A concerning trend called “parachuting” may extend the time before the onset of a meth high. Parachuting is when someone intentionally wraps a dose of meth in toilet paper or plastic before swallowing it, slowing the speed at which it is absorbed by the body.
Regardless of how you use meth, it always wears off. When it does, you’re faced with the brutal (and often painful) comedown. The high you experienced is long gone, and now you’re left with side effects like anxiety, irritability, fatigue, and depression. These are just some of the physical and mental tolls meth takes on your body and mind.
How Long Meth Stays in Your System
Methamphetamine is metabolized primarily in the liver, where it is broken down into amphetamine, a substance that also produces stimulating effects. The kidneys then excrete these metabolites through urine. As it’s metabolized, it can be detected in your body.
Urine Tests
Urine tests can reliably detect meth for about 1–3 days after you quit using it.2 These tests are some of the most common, as they are cost-effective and can detect even small amounts of meth. However, the detection window may be longer for chronic users or those with a slower metabolism. You might be tempted to try and drink a lot of water or use diuretics to avoid detection, but tests can show how diluted your urine is or reveal high levels of medications, often forcing you to retest.
Hair Follicle Tests
Hair follicle tests offer the longest detection window for meth, at around 90 days.3 This is because meth gets deposited into hair follicles as it grows. However, this method is expensive and requires specialized equipment. Some people try to shave their heads or bleach their hair to try and avoid detection. These methods are unreliable, though.
Trying to avoid a positive meth test has only one true solution: quitting. Until you get meth out of your system, it will continue to impact your health, relationships, and life negatively.
Risks of Meth Use
Your body and brain grow used to meth, relying on it to bring happiness, motivation, and energy. When you regularly use meth, your chemical balance is thrown into chaos. The more consistently you use it, the steeper the peak of those highs gets, and the deeper the valleys of withdrawal feel in comparison.
With prolonged use, you risk:
- Heart problems – Meth is a stimulant that speeds up your heart rate, increasing the risk of heart attacks, stroke, or other cardiovascular issues.
- Brain damage – Meth impacts the dopamine system in your brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a role in pleasure, motivation, and reward. Over time, meth use can cause changes in how your brain functions.
- Psychosis – Long-term meth use may result in psychosis, including hallucinations and delusions.
- Tooth decay – Meth use can lead to “meth mouth,” where teeth become stained, rot, and even fall out due to dry mouth and poor dental hygiene.
- Overdose – Taking too much meth can result in an overdose, potentially leading to a heart attack, stroke, or other life-threatening complications. Additionally, many people who use meth today encounter drugs cut with fentanyl, a powerful opioid that can quickly lead to an overdose.
Despite the challenges and risks of meth addiction, recovery is possible. With the right treatment and support, you can overcome your dependence on meth and build a fulfilling life in recovery.
Get Help at Red Oak Recovery®
At Red Oak Recovery®, we understand the unique challenges that come with meth addiction. As a young man, you may feel misunderstood or out of place in traditional treatment settings. That’s why we offer specialized treatment for young men aged 18–30 at our center in Asheville, NC. Our team of clinicians and therapists uses evidence-based practices to help you address the underlying issues driving your addiction and develop healthy coping skills for long-term recovery.
Don’t wait any longer to seek help for your meth addiction. Call 828.382.9699 or contact us online to start treatment and take the first step toward a better life.
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