I am in need of lots of information. My cousin is 21yrs old she is supposedly hooked on meth but all the symptoms she shows of an addiction are not nearly as dramatic as all the information I am reading. She has told me that when she does she will snort or smoke. She has unknowingly told me about her habits before during and after her "times". She doesnt have the skin problems or really far out behavior. Is it possible she is to the point that she needs this drug to act normal? I see her have days when she will sleep a ton then eat like crazy. I assume these days she either has none or is taking a natural break. She says she has used a ton in the past 6 years and is now getting it "under control". She has tried outpatient and been kicked out. She is seeing a therapist for family counseling as well as personal counseling. She is also becoming more dependent on alcohol to curb her "needs". I am not sure if this is really the drug she is using or what stage she is in. Our family needs help. Any information is welcome.

JennJenn

welovetiff, Hello, I wish I could give you the answers you are looking for, but meth is a hard core drug, My son does meth too. and I am not sure what the answer is, But there is good advise for you and your family to go to alnon, and learn how to stop enabling her. She has to hit bottom before she stops, six years is a long time on that stuff. I bet by now she looks pretty bad in her face and is skinny. the eating and sleeping is the part when they are off of it for a while. when they come down they will sleep a day sometimes for days, then eat and sleep eat and sleep...... Because when they are doing meth most people dont eat or sleep........ after this they become depressed and wont to use again to feel okay.never give her money, no matter what.. How old is she? that way I can tell you a little more , does she work? live at home with parents? I can only tell you that things will get worse with her untill she stops using................ Felicia

Arememom will be a good source of information. She'll be along some time today and you can almost be assured she will provide the information you need. Meth was not my drug of choice and I honestly and thankfully have no real life experience.

I do know that it goes in cycles for some people. The sleeping and eating is a sign that she is off for a short time like Felicia said..but they usually go right back.

There is no getting it "under control" with this drug. I'm surrounded by people at work and in my 12 step fellowship who have lost everything, have lost a family member or who have been touched in some way by this drug. It's horrible. I have a dear friend who runs a recovery halfway house, he says it does something permanent to your brain. Memory, impulse control, anger control..are just a few things that can be affected.

I wish you the absolute best of luck. We all have to find our own way through the hell of addiction. Your cousin will probably need to reach some kind of bottom in her life before she sees this as a problem. Sounds like she is still in denial if she thinks she can control it.

Thank you for the replys this has given me hope to understand what is going on. she is newly 21 and has used alcohol weed and we got the results back from 3 home drug tests that she is using meth and speed. She has a job working for subway and she is making friends which makes me sad. I am the ONLY person in the family she will attempt to open up to. She talks about why shebrushes her teeth so much and how the drainage is yucky and how she feels when she smokes it. She in the last month has been gaining weight and her skin looks clearer, but it could be the switching of drugs. I am so lost. We do not give her money but yesturday she went through my purse when i asked her to grab a quater and she took $4 in change to buy cigarettes. she bought them in front of me and i only saw her smoke 3 all day but when her friend had come over they dissapeared and she was out of cigarretes. This is the second time this has happend and she doesnt smoke that much. I dont understand what she is doing with them. she lives iwth me and my parents. I just got back from south carolina and we have NEVER had a close relationship but this time she has clung to me and sees me as an safe person. She always has different saftey pins on her necklace and all the rings and prayer boxes that are on this necklace come and go. She has a lot of compact mirrors and disposable razors for shaving. I know those are all things invloved but I need to know what to look for. Any information about anything would be great!!!

Thankyou

Hon all I can tell you is to do a search on the internet for chat rooms meth users they have one it is a great site also for family and friends of meth users. You will get all the information you need there. I know they use torches or lighters, light bulbs, foil, the mirrows and razors or too cut in up with. you can eat it smoke it or shot it,If she is 21 then there is nothing you all can do, but too kick her out if it gets to bad. Has she started stealing from you guys yet? and yes the cell phone they all have to have a cell phone, some even keep there drugs there, I which I had more to tell you May be arememom will be alone in a while, she is a great person to talk with over this. Felicia