Methamphetamine, also called crystal meth, tweek, crank or glass, is a highly addictive and dangerous drug. Methamphetamines can cause heart attack or stroke due to the dramatic increase in heart rate and blood pressure that accompanies taking the drug, and they can also cause permanent brain damage in long-term users, says the National Institute on Drug Abuse, or NIDA. Understanding the signs and symptoms that your child is using methamphetamines is essential to getting him help before it is too late.
Step 1
Know the signs that your child may have a substance abuse problem. Some warning signs could include a drop in grades or skipping school, mood swings, aggression, poor hygiene, secrecy, lying, theft or a sudden change in friends, notes the Adolescent Substance Abuse Knowledge Base. Talk to your child if she displays any of these behaviors; this may make her understand she needs help.
Step 2
Be aware of the symptoms of a methamphetamine problem and the physiological side effects of the drug. If your child is high on crystal meth, he may be hyperactive, jumpy and anxious. He may also sweat excessively, have dilated pupils, and display paranoia and hostility, says CrystalMeth-Addiction.net. Regular methamphetamine users are frequently unable to eat or sleep and often develop sores from compulsively picking at their skin, notes NIDA.
Step 3
Know what the drug and drug paraphernalia look like if you suspect your child is using methamphetamines. Crystal meth can appear as rocklike white or yellow chunks or a powder that looks like glass shards, and it can be smoked, injected or taken orally, according to the Partnership for a Drug-Free America. Check your child's room for drugs and paraphernalia, such as glass pipes, syringes, rubber tubing, small plastic bags and spoons that appear to have been heated with a lighter.
Step 4
Look for additional signs of methamphetamine use, which can include significant weight loss, severe gum infections and tooth decay and engaging is risky sexual behavior.
