One of the biggest dangers of mixing alcohol with meth is alcohol poisoning. Since meth is a stimulant, it can change a person’s perception of how alcohol affects them. This leads them to think alcohol isn’t having as great an effect on them as it truly is, so they drink more. The primary reason mixing alcohol with meth is so dangerous is that the substances celebrities with fetal alcohol syndrome are chemical opposites.
For more information, please visit the NIAAA Alcohol Treatment Navigator®, an online tool that helps individuals find the right treatment for them—and near them. The Navigator offers a step-by-step process to finding a highly qualified professional treatment provider. This change in behavior is known as meth addiction, or methamphetamine use disorder. Alcohol could potentially boost the effects of meth by heightening its euphoric effects.
Risk of Meth Overdose
Ideally, health care providers will one day be able to identify which AUD treatment is most effective for each person. These advances could optimize how treatment decisions are made in the future. The vast majority of psychostimulant abusers regularly use multiple chemical substances. Methamphetamine (METH) and alcohol (ethanol) are a frequently observed combination for co-abuse, with individuals who ingest the two substances both concurrently and sequentially. Future work will be needed to establish optimal animal models and to identify novel targets for the treatment of METH-alcohol co-abuse. Mutual-support groups provide peer support for stopping or reducing drinking.
Just as some people with diabetes or asthma may have flare-ups of their disease, a return to drinking can be seen as a temporary setback to full recovery and not as a failure. Seeking professional help can prevent a return to drinking—behavioral therapies can help people develop skills to avoid and overcome triggers, such as stress, that might lead to drinking. Most people benefit from regular checkups with a treatment provider. Medications can also deter drinking during times when individuals may be at greater risk for a return to drinking (e.g., divorce, death of a family member).
The groups for family and friends listed in the “Resources” section may be a good starting point. Also known as “alcohol counseling,” behavioral treatments involve working with a health care provider to identify and help change the behaviors that lead to alcohol problems. Below is a list of some of the providers who are typically involved in alcohol treatment and the type of care they may offer. Your health care provider or mental health provider will ask additional questions based on your responses, symptoms and needs. Preparing and anticipating questions will help you make the most of your appointment time. Primary care and mental health providers can provide effective AUD treatment by combining new medications with brief counseling visits.
Looking for Treatment?
The good news is that no matter how severe the problem may seem, most people with AUD can benefit from some form of treatment. Many others substantially reduce their drinking and report fewer alcohol-related problems. Methamphetamine overdose is a toxic, potentially life threatening reaction to the drug.
Why Do People Mix Alcohol With Meth?
Meth addiction can be harmful to health, to the extent that it can even be fatal. It’s important to recognize this addiction and seek help for it as soon as possible. Behavioral therapies have proven effective in treating meth addiction and can help you live a substance-free life. Methamphetamine, commonly referred to as meth, speed, or crack, is a powerful stimulant drug that affects the central nervous system. While some drugs slow down the body, meth speeds it up by triggering a burst of energy and an intense rush of euphoria.
In everyday language, that means most of the meth will leave your system before the day is done. Many people use meth mainly to feel that initial rush of euphoria. So, once that euphoria wears off, they may take more in order to continue enjoying that feeling. For instance, you might feel energized, confident, and more alert than usual. Healthline does not endorse the use of any illegal substances, and we recognize abstaining from them is always the safest approach. However, we believe in providing accessible and accurate information to reduce the harm that can occur when using.
Crystal meth is a popular street drug, with usage levels higher in certain areas or populations. To make crystal meth, street dealers combine the white methamphetamine powder with other substances and “cook” it to form a solid crystal-looking rock that can be smoked. This condition happens when you consume more alcohol than your body can filter at once and your blood alcohol volume rises too high. This condition causes vomiting and diarrhea, often alongside a racing or weak pulse and low or high blood pressure. Alcohol poisoning can cause a lack of consciousness and even lead to death.
- When seeking professional help, it is important that you feel respected and understood and that you trust the person, group, or organization to help you.
- Using meth triggers the release of large amounts of the chemical dopamine in the brain, resulting in feelings of extreme happiness and pleasure.
- But it may also lead you to feel more anxious and agitated — not to mention increase your risk of alcohol poisoning or overdose.
- Medications also can help deter drinking during times when individuals may be at greater risk of a return to drinking (e.g., divorce, death of a family member).
- In its pure form, meth is a white powder that can easily be dissolved in alcohol or water.
It also boosts alertness, reduces appetite, increases activity and talkativeness, and offers a general sense of happiness and well-being. Caring for a person who has problems with alcohol can be very stressful. It is important that as you try to help your loved one, you also find a way to take care of yourself. It may help to seek support from others, including friends, family, community, and support groups.
Generally, the answer is no, as drinking meth would likely lead to vomiting and an increased risk of overdose. Many people with AUD do recover, but setbacks are common among people in treatment. Behavioral therapies can help people develop skills to avoid and overcome triggers, such as stress, that might lead to drinking.
Alcohol use disorder
Crystal meth and alcohol alone can each lead to intense side effects and severe health consequences. However, mixing alcohol and meth can amplify these effects and increase the risk of serious problems. Common mental health conditions that co-occur with AUD are depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma- and stress-related disorders, other substance use disorders, and sleep disorders. Studies show that people who have AUD are more likely to suffer from major depression or anxiety over their lifetime.
Other side effects
Since the effects of the drug start and fade quickly, people often take repeated doses in what is known as a binge and crash pattern. In fact, some people go on a “run,” which involves bingeing on the drug every few hours for several days at a time, without food or sleep. Remember that changing long-standing patterns is hard, takes time, and requires repeated efforts. We usually experience setbacks along the way, learn from what does an enabler mean them, and then keep going. Matching the right therapy to the individual is important to its success. It may also be helpful to determine whether the treatment will be adapted to meet changing needs as they arise.
Three medications are currently celebrities with fetal alcohol syndrome approved in the United States to help people stop or reduce their drinking and prevent a return to drinking. These medications are prescribed by a primary care provider or other health care provider and may be used alone or in combination with counseling. Alcoholics Anonymous® (also known as “AA”) and other 12-step programs provide peer support for people quitting or cutting back on their drinking. Combined with treatment led by health care providers, mutual-support groups can offer a valuable added layer of support.
