Stages of Meth Use

• RUSH (5-30 MINUTES)

– The abuser’s heartbeat races and metabolism, blood pressure and pulse soar. They experience feelings of pleasure.

• HIGH ( 4-16 Hours)

– The meth user often feels aggressively smarter and becomes argumentative.

• BINGE (3-15 Days)

– The meth user maintains the high for as long as possible and becomes hyperactive, both mentally and physically.

• TWEAKING

– The most dangerous stage of the cycle. Tweakers probably have not slept in 3-15 days and are irritable and paranoid. A tweaker often behaves or reacts violently, and if using alcohol or another depressant, their negative feelings and the associated dangers intensify. The tweaker craves more meth, but no dosage will help re-create the euphoric high, which causes frustration and leads to unpredictability and the potential for violence.

• CRASH (1-3 Days)

– The user does not pose a threat to anyone. They become very lethargic and sleep.

• NORMAL (2-14 DAYS)

– The user returns to a state that is slightly deteriorated from the normal state before the abuse.

• WITHDRAWAL (30-90 Days)

– No immediate symptoms are evident, but the user first becomes depressed and then lethargic. The craving for meth hits and they may become suicidal.