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Meth induced anorexia
secretly
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Meth induced anorexia
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can meth cause anorexia, or are they just symptoms of use? we talked about this when i was in rehab but never got a straight answer. i've never been anorexic off meth, so i'm not sure what it mentally feels like, but when i was spun i was not going to eat by any means, no matter what. actually even now when i get really hungry or if i dont get enough sleep i start to feel that nervous agitated feeling again.
can anyone relate? |
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| pisces |
Re: Meth induced anorexia
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i can relate completely
if i don't eat, or sleep or drink water, i get that feeling too... like i am on a binge
and actually, i don't know if meth can cause anorexia...
i just know that my eating disorder did start when i started using, but it is still there when i'm clean
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Liz0311
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Re: Meth induced anorexia
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I think that there is definitely a solid argument for the link between meth use and eating disorders. It has been proven in a number of different circumstances that meth use can lead to:
a) schizophrenia, which is partially defined as an altered and inaccurate perception of reality, and
b) obsessive/compulsive disorder, which is loosely explained as the development of neurotic fixations on patterns, repetition, or specific practices whose increasing importance end up getting in the way of your daily life.
Considering those previously identified effects of meth use, it seems to be pretty logical that anorexia (or other eating disorders) might be triggered, encouraged, and/or worsened by the use of meth. It is a well-known fact that meth is an appetite suppressant (for the first few months of my use, I couldn't get high without vomiting almost immediately). In fact, many people end up trying meth because of almost certain weight loss--in those cases, it seems pretty obvious that there would be a high incidence of resulting eating disorders (if the eating disorders didn't exist in the first place).
So, if you consider the fact that meth has been linked to (a) distorted perceptions of reality, and (b) obsessions and compulsive behaviors...and then you consider the fact that anorexia is (in my own words) compulsive reactions that an individual develops as a result of obsessive thought patterns concerning his/her weight or appearance, coupled with a distorted perception of his/her true weight or appearance.
Hmmmm...seem to be more than a couple of parallels there...
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| Kellhappy |
Re: Meth induced anorexia
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The way I thought of it was, meth basically creates similar behaviors and effects (in some people, not all) as anorexia. People can go for very long periods of time with no, or very little, food. They can waste away, and get other ill effects from this starvation. The effects on the body can be similar.
IMO...
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| Penel0pe |
Re: Meth induced anorexia
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Meth induced psychotic disorders are not schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a primary mental illness independent of substance use; meth induced psychosis is IDENTICAL to paranoid schizophrenia. In most cases, take away the meth, and the psychotic disorder will go away too. For some, meth will hasten the onset of a primary mental illness - the onset of schizophrenia tends to occur in the late teens / early 20's, a time that many addicts will start to use meth as well. The only way to make a differential diagnosis is to take away the meth. It is hard to say that the meth caused the schizophrenia; for those who remain psychotic after meth has been taken out of the equation, it is usually assumed that a primary mental illness was likely in the prodromal state to begin with.
Meth use supresses appetite for sure - but take away the meth, and most of us will start eating everything in the house.
The "Jenny Crank" diet plan has a great deal of appeal for a lot of people - it did for me.
In the long run, it didn't work. I stopped using, and became a marine mammal within months.
More than three years clean, I found that the advice a doctor gave me more than 21 years ago - "Eat less, excercise more," DOES WORK.
Go figure.
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| Liz0311 |
Re: Meth induced anorexia
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Sorry; I oversimplified. Yes, schizophrenia is a disorder that develops independent of substance abuse. I took a shortcut in my post; you're correct in your statement that the psychotic effects of long-term meth use are identical to, although they are not the same as schizophrenia. The symptoms and effects are much the same, although the cause (obviously) is not.
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| Loraura |
Re: Meth induced anorexia
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Hey Liz -- you're talking to a psych nurse (Penelope).
She's pretty spot on with these things.
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| Liz0311 |
Re: Meth induced anorexia
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I know; I was agreeing with her. |
See also:
Did you start Meth to lose weight like me?
Weight Issues and Methamphetamine
Back to Crystal Meth & Methamphetamine Questions, Answers & Advice
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