It is a known fact that alcohol lowers our inhibitions and the ability to make informed decisions, which is why mixing alcohol and drugs can be incredibly detrimental, as it increases the risk of overdosing.
From this article, you'll be able to learn about the dangers of combining alcohol and meth, as well as how you can receive help if you're struggling with meth and alcohol addiction.
What Is Methamphetamine?
What this means is that, unlike nervous system depressants (like alcohol), which slow down various bodily processes, meth acts the opposite way, causing a powerful high, euphoria, and increased alertness.
The narcotic offers almost immediate effects, offering very strong but short-lived highs. This in itself creates a risk of overdosing, as people who use meth are inclined to administer more doses to keep the effects of a drug for longer.
Unfortunately, due to its potency and the type of high it causes, methamphetamine is highly addictive. Meth addiction research suggests that about 2.5 million people have used meth in the year 2021 (US population), and around 1.6 million people have struggled with a methamphetamine use disorder. During this time, the fatal overdose affected around 32,500 people.
Meth users often struggle with binging on meth, spending days using the drug, and giving up on sleep or eating in order to chase the high.
Why is methamphetamine so effective?
How Does Meth Affect the Human Body?
This is one of the most crucial reasons why meth is so addictive. But meth addiction can lead to many health complications and adverse reactions.
Some short-term effects of methamphetamine use include:
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fatal overdoses in the United States caused by methamphetamine tripled in the period between 2011 to 2016.
How Does Alcohol Affect the Human Body?
Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to:
Binge drinking, or mixing meth and alcohol can lead to a long list of health problems, increasing the risk of developing a strong dependence on both substances, and eventually overdosing.
So, why exactly is mixing alcohol and meth is so dangerous?
Combining Meth and Alcohol - Dangers
One of the reasons why alcohol and meth are considered such a threatening combination is connected with how both substances interact with each other.
A recent study proves that alcohol can influence how meth is metabolized, increasing its concentration in the bloodstream.
This study was conducted on rabbits and rats and showcased that mixing methamphetamine and alcohol can lead to increased oxidative stress, increased heart rate, and heightened states of euphoria.
Mixing meth with alcohol can amplify the potency of the drug, causing more powerful highs and increasing the risk of overdosing.
The research also pointed out that combining the two substances may lead to alcohol poisoning, as a person who's under the influence of meth may not be able to correctly assess the negative effects of alcohol intake and, in consequence, drink more than it is safe to.
Animal and human studies suggest that alcohol interactions with meth can be very dangerous, introducing risk factors associated with meth and alcohol use but in a more intense form.
Both alcohol and methamphetamine negatively impact cognitive skills and can increase the probability of experiencing psychosis and hallucinations. Methamphetamine and alcohol use can also influence one's tendencies to partake in risky behaviors.
For example, we know that people under the influence of meth often have increased libido. Combining that with the effects of alcohol that generally lowers inhibitions creates conditions for users to put themselves in dangerous situations, like risky sexual activities.
Incredibly dangerous in states of high intoxication is alcohol poisoning. Severe alcohol intoxication can lead to loss of consciousness, vomiting, slowed breathing and heart rate, seizures, and dulled gag reflex.
Even after a person stops drinking, the levels of alcohol in their bloodstream can still be rising. This is why leaving the person who lost consciousness after drinking and/or taking meth to "sleep it off" is not the right answer. Any individual in such a state should be hospitalized as soon as possible.
Alcohol and Methamphetamine Addiction
Alcohol and meth abuse is quite common, and the combination of both effects and withdrawal symptoms these substances cause can be severely taxing, both physically and psychologically.
Here are 13 signs someone is using meth with alcohol:
Meth and Alcohol Withdrawal
Withdrawal often causes various emotional reactions as well. One can feel anxious, depressed, paranoid, and unmotivated. During this time, it's normal to experience intense cravings for meth and alcohol.
If you or someone you love suffers from addiction, there are ways you can receive help. Alcohol addiction treatment often takes time and involves a strong support system, but it's the fight worth fighting.
Drug and Alcohol Dependence Treatment
Going through detox by yourself can be incredibly difficult and, in some cases, dangerous. Treatment centers, like our drug use rehab in Thailand, provide a safe environment to go through withdrawal and learn how to function with addiction in order to regain health and avoid going back to active addiction.
Patients are under the care of medical professionals and addiction specialists and can benefit from various resources, like group counseling, family therapy, and individual therapy.
At Miracles Asia, you'll be able to focus on your addiction recovery in the beautiful and peaceful scenery. We focus our efforts on creating a safe and constructive environment for our residents to gain knowledge about themselves and valuable tools to manage their addiction outside of the program.
The results of our program have been verified by some of the world's leading treatment providers, and as the only facility in Thailand that actively remains in touch with our clients long after they have completed their stay, we are able to accurately and confidently say our success rate is above 85% for long term clients
Contact our Admissions Team for a free, no pressure assessment or you can download the info kit for all the about our program and treatment methods.
Final Thoughts
Both meth and alcohol are very addictive. Methamphetamine users can become dependent on the substance after the first use. Combining the two drugs can lead to alcohol poisoning or overdosing, which can be fatal.
Breaking free from active addiction is difficult, but it can be achieved with the help of alcohol and meth use disorder specialists, like our rehab in Thailand.
At Miracles Asia, our Clinical Team will provide you with support and tools to not only manage the condition, but get your life back to a place where you a happy.
Find more resources on how to help yourself or how to offer help to your loved one if your family member is struggling with substance abuse.
