The Rising Psychological Toll from the P2P Meth Flooding Arizona
Have you heard about Mexican super meth (P2P meth) and the toll it is taking on communities across Arizona? The meth cartels completely reinvented meth, making it a more powerful, longer-lasting high than standard methamphetamine.
Meth addiction continues to be a major health crisis in the Grand Canyon State, with this highly potent form now being the majority of the drug on the street.
Purpose Healing Center has professionally staffed, Joint Commission-accredited treatment facilities in Phoenix and Scottsdale. We have helped many overcome their addictions to alcohol, meth, and other drugs.
Because we believe that knowledge is central to prevention, we hope this post will increase community awareness of this dangerously potent, more affordable version of methamphetamine.
Join us as we explain methamphetamine addiction, then explore the chemical makeup that makes super meth potentially lethal and how to get help from our dedicated staff at Purpose to overcome meth abuse.
Meth Cartels Completely Reinvented Meth Use
Well-known independent journalist Sam Quiñones has reported extensively on the illicit drug trade. Specifically, he examines how drug use harms society.
In his award-winning 2021 book, The Least of Us, True Tales of America and Hope in the Time of Fentanyl and Meth,” Quiñones connects meth addiction (and other drugs) to the rise in homelessness, a shortage of beds in mental health facilities, and dangerous law enforcement interactions.
Super Meth uses chemicals called phenyl-2-propanone (P2P) that were not commonly available when meth was first invented or synthesized, making meth cheaper and easier for the Mexican cartels to make. They can sell it cheaper but more often to each user, as it’s more addictive.
Furthermore, if a smuggler gets caught, it’s cheaper for the cartels to replace. It’s a win-win for the cartel bosses.
Users quickly report severe mental health issues, which often include paranoia, hallucinations, and severe forms of psychosis due to meth. The dangers to physical health are equally alarming, especially heart issues and rapidly spreading dental diseases.
Hospitals, social services, and law enforcement agencies are overwhelmed and struggling to cope with the crisis. It’s not a sustainable problem—not just for Arizona but for the whole country. Mexico must commit to doing its part to put a stop to it. Unfortunately, Mexico does not seem disposed to help.
Ephedrine Meth Made From OTC Pharmacy Products vs Super Meth
Meth, as we first knew it, required ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, common cold medications. There was a slight lull in meth use as the ingredients needed for production became harder to get due to laws limiting pseudoephedrine purchases and stricter pharmacy tracking.
That interruption didn’t stop drug abuse – it just meant that cartels destroyed lives by pushing fentanyl, heroin, and fake prescription pills on Americans instead of selling meth.
That changed when the cartels learned to use P2P and make Super Meth. P2P is a chemical that pharmaceutical manufacturers use to make legal prescription medications that treat ADHD and narcolepsy. Most P2P is made in China and India and comes to North America through Mexican ports for legal manufacturing intent.
Because it’s a legitimate pre-cursor chemical for drug production, P2P is more stable. That makes it easier to produce the drug in large quantities, meaning that more meth is available at a lower street price. It also means that Super Meth has increased potency and a higher purity. This substance is more addictive than previous renditions of meth.
The Additional Consequences of Super Meth Addiction
We mentioned becoming homeless and experiencing severe health problems from abusing methamphetamines is more common.
But that’s just the start of the nightmare your loved one may experience. Here are some other possible consequences that will concern you:
- Damaged or lost relationships
- Social isolation
- Legal issues; arrests; warrants; criminal charges; prison time
- Financial problems; accumulated debt
- Child custody issues
- Job or career setbacks or loss
- Reputational damage; stigmatized; many are unfairly labeled “addicts,” a term that remains ever after reaching sobriety
While these are horrible outcomes, there is a silver lining: meth rehab treatment and recovery. With the appropriate treatment and counseling. Use the information you learn in this post to advocate for your loved one and encourage them to find an experienced recovery facility for help.
Mental Health and Behavioral Signs of Super Meth Addiction
As you read through the signs of meth abuse, remember that these apply to both forms of meth – the “old school” Sudafed-derived meth and the P2P. The main difference is that the “high” of Super Meth is more potent; it also brings a greater risk of drug addiction and health consequences appear even earlier.
Even small amounts of this form of meth can lead to a substance addiction, that is clinically termed a Methamphetamine Use Disorder. Other than the telltale smell of meth being smoked, here are some other signs of crystal meth usage.
Mental and Behavioral Signs of Super Meth Abuse
Here are the mental and behavioral health symptoms to watch for with Super Meth addiction:
- Paranoia; extreme suspiciousness
- Hallucinations; delusions; psychosis
- Aggression or violent behavior
- Severe anxiety; panic attacks
- Insomnia; sleep pattern interruptions
- Depression; sadness; mood swings
- Social withdrawal; isolation
- Erratic or unpredictable behavior
- Obsessive focus on tasks or activities
- Memory loss and cognitive impairment
These signs can point to crystal meth or super meth addiction along with other commonly abused drugs. It’s important to also look for the physical signs that could that users are addicted.
Physical Signs of Super Meth Addiction
Here are the physical symptoms that may show someone is addicted to meth being in their system or another stimulant drug:
- Notably fast weight loss
- Severe dental problems (often referred to as “meth mouth”)
- Skin sores or infections from excessive scratching; skin-picking behaviors come from common hallucinations of bugs crawling on them.
- Dilated pupils
- Increased heart rate and blood pressure
- Hyperactivity and excessive energy
- Body odor and poor hygiene
- Frequent nosebleeds or nasal damage (if they snort meth)
- Tremors or twitching and jerking motions
- Extreme fatigue after drug effects wear off
- Overdose on meth
These signs, in combination with the mental and behavioral signs listed earlier, could lead you to see that loved ones or friends are, in fact, meth users – and identifying the problem is the first part of leading them to recovery.
Is Meth Mouth Worse With Super Meth?
In many cases, yes! Diseases of the teeth, gums, and jaw happen faster with Super Meth than with its predecessor. P2P meth has increased potency and is more addictive than ephedrine meth, which leads to more frequent use and exposure to the chemical ingredients.
Combine that with a lack of attention to hygiene when using drugs, and you have a prevalence of dental issues among those who abuse this drug.
Super Meth: A Fast Track to Drug Addiction
Super meth is a dangerous substance because it becomes addictive so quickly, sometimes with a single use.
Here are the steps in developing an addiction, and signs of meth use to watch out for:
Stage 1: Initial Meth Use (First-Time Use)
Someone tries meth for the first time, often considering it a “party drug” or just because they’re curious about it. It creates a warm, pleasing euphoria and gives them tons of energy. They feel alert, as if they can conquer the world. Believing these to be good traits, they decide to use it to increase their performance.
Stage 2: Regular Methamphetamine Use
As casual users become dependent on meth to give them those same results, they begin to develop a tolerance to the drug. That means users must consume higher dosages to get the same high (often meaning accidental overdoses.) They eventually also decide to use meth more frequently to avoid the comedown and maintain the high.
Stage 3: Binge and Crash from Meth
As regular use continues, it escalates into binges, where the person might stay awake for several days. They neglect themselves and don’t eat, drink water, or sleep.
After the binge, they crash, a severe comedown from meth is very common. They feel tired and grumpy, often going to sleep for long periods due to the exhaustion of the binge.
Stage 5: Withdrawal From Crystal Meth or Super Meth
When the person stops using methamphetamines, their body goes into withdrawal symptoms:
- Intense cravings
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Heart rate changes
- Fatigue
Even if they want to stop using meth, the addiction is strong now. Quitting without a recovery community seems hopeless, so they relapse, go back to Stage 2, and get high on meth.
Treatment and Recovery: Super Meth Addiction
Recovery from meth addiction requires experienced medical supervision, as you’d find in a licensed recovery center.
Meth treatment usually follows this general course:
Medical Detox from Methamphetamine
Detoxing in a medically-supervised setting helps ensures safety and comfort as the body metabolizes and excretes the Super Meth. At a medical detox, staff will monitor the person’s physical and mental well-being and administer FDA-approved medicines to help control dangerous or uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms.
Therapeutic Treatment and Behavioral Changes
Recovery from most drug or alcohol addiction, including this stimulant, demands individual and group counseling. These sessions work on the underlying causes that cause someone to use methamphetamine drugs in the first place.
Note that there is currently no standard medication-assisted treatment for Super Meth. Unlike opioids like fentanyl or heroin recovery from meth use disorder relies on behavioral therapy. Few studies have been done on using Naltrexone or Bupropion for those in treatment for meth abuse; the results have been mixed.
These drugs, intended for opioid cessation, were effective in some of the study participants but also had a very low rate of adverse events. Researchers believe more studies should be completed.
Connect With Purpose for Meth Recovery Support
If you have questions about meth recovery for yourself or a loved one, please feel free to reach out to us today. Purpose Healing Center knows too well the dangers of Super Meth and shares your concern.
This new production of methamphetamine drugs has brought greater prevalence and even readily available meth to the streets of Arizona. And hope is available, but proven, accredited support lives here at Purpose.
Call us today for the help you need. All calls are confidential, so please reach out now.
480-579-3319