Meth Addiction Treatment
Is meth a habit-forming drug? Do you feel stimulated each time when meth hit you? How can you get rid of meth addiction? Well, meth is the most powerful and addictive substance that can damage the brain receptors. When the user becomes addicted to meth, he never feel pleasure without its assistance. He prioritize meth over his work, relationships, and health. The addict will continue to take meth even if he has to go through legal consequences.
Though meth is a highly intensive substance, there is still a whopping rise in its use. According to a survey, over 1.6 million people use methamphetamine in the USA. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that most people first taste meth at 23.
Are you interested to know about the meh addiction treatment? If yes, then keep reading this article. You will get the answers to every question that pops up in your mind regarding meth addiction treatment.
What Is Meth?
Methamphetamine is an addictive substance that produces stimulating or energizing effects on the users. It is available in the form of a pill or white colored powder. In powder form, it is inhaled, while the same powder can be injected intravenously, when dissolved in water.
The crystalline form of methamphetamine is found in a pale blue color. It seems to be similar to the glass fragments. This form may be smoked through the pipe.
Meth immediately gets you high, but its effect goes slowly. Users who are fighting to beat meth addiction experience serious physical and mental symptoms like insomnia and depression.
Sometimes, drug dealers mix meth with other substances and sell the adulterated drug at the same actual price. Sometimes, the prescription medications like opioids or antidepressants are added to meth. This mixing can cause harmful drug interactions.
The street names of meth are
- Ice
- Crystal
- Tweak
- Chalk
- Glass
- Crank
- Redneck cocaine
Symptoms Of Meth Addiction
Following are the most common symptoms of meth addiction.
- Meth is a habit-forming drug. So, addicts continue to take the drug for a longer period.
- There is a frequent desire for drug intake, and their efforts to control the drug use remain unsuccessful.
- A good amount of time is wasted in obtaining the meth, taking it, and recovering from its negative effects.
- The persistent use of meth leads to failure in work, relationships, and health.
- The continuous use of meth imparts hazardous effects on health.
- The use of dug exacerbates the existing physical or mental health issues.
- Lack of meth use imparts severe withdrawal effects.
All the above symptoms of meth addiction were reported in the latest Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. If anyone surrounding you experience two or more symptoms, there might be a need to treat meth addiction.
How Does The Meth Make You Feel?
The strong rush that occurs from meth use allows people to get addicted to it from the start. When it’s taken in, either way, the neurotransmitter that regulates pleasure and happiness, called dopamine, releases from the brain. After its release, the person feels more energetic and confident.
In no time, the users get addicted to meth, and they come to the stage where they can do anything to get the drug. The persistent use of the drug develops tolerance. It means now they need a high dose to get the same rush back. But the increased dose has increased side effects.
Meth Addiction And Its Effects
The illegal use of methamphetamine is designated as abuse. Similar to cocaine, smoking or injecting meth yields an elevated heart rate, increased blood pressure, and release of pleasure causing neurotransmitters in the brain.
The snorting of meth produces euphoria and heightens the feeling of pleasure. However, IV injection creates a rush that lasts for 30 minutes or sometimes 24 hours. Although the meth injection produces rapid effects, yet its symptoms wear off immediately.
The Meth Addiction Effects Are
- Hyperactivity
- Sleeplessness
- Irritability
- Loss of appetite
- Anxiety and depression
- Hallucinations and paranoia
- Tremors
- Persistent weightless
- Talkativeness
Habitual meth use can also cause skin infections, tooth decay, and a higher risk of sexually transmitted diseases. The regular use of methamphetamine can also result in the collapsed veins and blood borne pathogen diseases like hepatitis and AIDS.
The sniffing of meth powder through the nose can harm the nasal cavities and bring about chronic nasal bleeds. The cardiac and nervous effects are also quite alarming as it can cause heart attack, seizures, and stroke.
Is a Meth Overdose Possible?
Yes, the overdose of methamphetamine is possible. When a person takes a huge amount of meth, a set of toxic reactions occur, which lead to severe symptoms or death.
In 2017, over 15% of the drug dose deaths included meth, while 50% were caused due to high intake of opioids (especially opioid fentanyl). It is important to identify the addition of dangerous synthetic opioids in meth.
Meth overdose causes heart causes, stroke, or other serious organ damage. So whenever the meth overdose occurs, the doctors are intended to
- To deal with stroke, they restore the blood flow at the certain brain part.
- To combat heart attack, specialists restore the flow of blood to the heart.
- Treat the organ issues.
If Your Loved One Has An Addiction, What Should You Do?
Initially, identify the misconception you might have about the drug of abuse. You must remember that persistent use of the drug may alter the brain’s chemistry and structure. Such effects make it more challenging to withdraw its effects.
You should look into the side effects and possible adverse effects of intoxication of the drug. Learn more about the treatment option that suits your loved ones.
You should work on finding the most suitable way of showing your concern. You are thinking of staging an intervention; you must know that it won’t give you positive results.
A suitable intervention may help your family member to seek addiction therapy. However, at the same time, it may also lead to severe consequences. Confrontation style intervention might result in anger, shame, and other withdrawal effects.
Moreover, you should be ready for all the positive results. At first, your loved one might not be willing to seek help or refuse that they have any problem. If such a thing occurs, consider seeking help from other family members or rehabilitation centers.
Where To Begin
Seeking help from other social groups and preparing your loved ones to get treatment must be the first step. You must gather the support of friends and family members. They can assist you in the journey to recovery.
Most people prefer to make an appointment with the doctor. Your general physician can examine the overall health of the addict. Depending upon the outcomes of the physical examination, he may refer you to the drug-specific treatment center.
Treatment Of Meth Addiction
FDA (Food and Drug Authority) has not approved any drug specifically to treat meth addiction. So the experts have not created any particular drug that can counter all the side effects.
According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse report, the scientists are still conditioned experiments to develop a medicine specific to meth addiction. Hopefully, in the future, the scientist will come up with the best meth addiction medication. The recovery from methamphetamine addiction needs a specific treatment plan that includes counseling, detoxification, and other treatment options.
Detox: eliminate the toxins from the body and allow the addict to regain normal functioning.
Counseling: educate the user about the recovery and address the mental damage that occurred due to the drug abuse.
Let’s have a look at the detail of meth addiction treatment.
1. Staging an intervention
If your dear friend or any family member is addicted to meth and refraining from getting treatment, staging an intervention must be the first choice. Most people feel uncomfortable, and the addicts might become violent face up with staging. The addicted person might find it hard and don’t know what to say. He also denies the fact that he is addicted to the drug.
It’s best to seek help from some professional (intervention specialist) who can easily help the abuser in such a situation. The expert can show the addict how he affects the lives of others who care for him. The aim of staging an intervention is to motivate the person to move towards the path of recovery.
2. Rehabilitation
Our addiction treatment services relating to addiction therapy and addiction treatment programs in Prescott AZ include:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Holistic Therapy Program
Intensive Outpatient Rehab Program
Medication-Assisted Treatment Program
Mental Health Treatment
Outpatient Treatment Programs
Partial Hospitalization Program
Vocational Development Program
Inpatient Rehabilitation Program
Choosing the inpatient or outpatient rehab for the meth addict depends upon different factors. The recovery from meth addiction is difficult, particularly due to the intense psychological effect of the drug.
Are your loved ones engaged in a long term or chronic use of meth? Inpatient rehab is the best choice as he might come across serious withdrawal effects. Trying to treat the person in an unstable environment might cause a relapse, and he/she will remain in the same cycle of drug abuse.
Inpatient treatment programs provide the most comfortable and temptation free space where the abuser can control himself.
Time: The average span of this program is 30 to 60 days, depending upon the individual’s condition.
Outpatient Rehabilitation Program
Outpatient rehab is particularly good for individuals who are at the early stage of their addiction and can’t leave their homes for a long time due to their obligations. These are the part-time therapy program that allows the person to keep going to work.
Time: In the outpatient setting, the detox and counseling need 10 to 12 weeks.
Importance of inpatient/outpatient treatment program
Once a person gets addicted to meth, it’s become quite tough to stop its use. The changes in the brain are the most alarming effect of the chronic use of meth. If the addict gets ready to quit meth use a do it immediately, he may come across severe withdrawal effects such as depression.
Inpatient or outpatient rehabs provide unique therapy to the addicts that help them in their recovery more easily. You must look for a treatment program that fits your needs and requirements. Some of the programs are as follows.
Women rehab centers:
A women’s addiction treatment center It is a place where addicted women can easily receive help. They can recover in a safe environment.
Men rehab centers
A men’s addiction treatment center is where the men can develop a strong social network with fellow men fighting meth addiction or related mental problems. Such an environment compels them to share their feeling with others and recover more quickly.
Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
The program is highly intense. It aims to equip the addicts with the right skills that help them in their recovery.
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
It’s an integral rehab that moves towards sobriety. It provides the freedom to look at your recovery programs thoroughly, then follows the specialist’s recommendations.
Sober Living
If you have come to an end of your particular treatment program, your priority should be finding a sober living home. It helps you with your extended recovery goals.
Prices Of Rehabs And Their Insurance Coverage
The price of rehabs depends on the level of care they provide or the addict need. It is also based on the length of the therapy. Most insurance companies offer special plans that cut down the cost of rehabilitation. Moreover, the insurance coverage differs for every company and plan. Seek help from your insurance company and ask them which program suits the addiction recovery therapy.
Is It Possible To Quit Meth Use Without Rehabilitation?
The journey of meth addiction recovery is full of risks and challenges. Stopping alone or seeking the help of a professional are the two options for quitting meth. The latter one is more advantageous and effective.
Although it’s impossible to quit meth without any help, the person may have to go through the medical risks. Another important thing is the presence of a proper support system, which the addict might lack at home. Take your surrounding into consideration and determine how much is the chance of relapse? Of course, a big chance because the rehab professionals play a significant role in providing you the support and maintaining sobriety.
Medical Detox Of Meth
Detoxification is the process that helps individuals to get rid of harmful substances within the body. It takes 50 hours for the complete meth detox. As a result of meth detox, some of the symptoms appear anxiety, depression, fatigue, etc. All these symptoms indicate that that the toxins are flushing out of the body.
Meth detox can also occur at home. But if there are some stimulating factors at home, then attempting detox at the rehab is a good choice.
Therapy Programs
Cognitive-behavioral therapy
The goal of this therapy program is not to motivate individuals to stop unhealthy approaches. It focuses on educating unique ways to deal with the stress in life. CBT therapy depends upon the personal opinion of emotional and environmental changes, quitting the negative responses, and adhering to healthy alternatives.
The matrix model
The matrix model is a treatment program of over 16 weeks. In this time, the drug addicts go through counseling, a 12 step component, family education, behavioral therapy, and other therapy approaches. Experts give priority to non-drug activities.
Contingency management intervention
The main concept of this treatment method is to motivate the addict through the reward. Different motivational incentives assist in the treatment process and prove helpful in quitting the meth addiction.
Combining this program with reward allows the individual to accept the treatment and refrain from drug use. The motivational Incentive for Enhancing Drug Abuse Recovery (MIEDAR) is the most effective contingency management program. This program has been found effective in ensuring meth addiction recovery.
How Can You Reduce The Risk Of Meth Relapse?
Relapse is the most important part of the recovery process. However, the relapse management and prevention techniques might raise the chances of recovery. Here are a few pieces of advice that may prevent relapse over time.
- Not visiting the places or people that stimulate the meth cravings.
- Creating a strong support system that includes friends, family members, and medical specialists.
- Indulging in meaningful activities
- Adhering to the healthy lifestyle
- Practicing self-care rituals hat is vital for mental health.
- Change your way of thinking.
- Build positive self-image
- Pen down your goals and objectives in life.
Immediately Get Help For Meth Addiction.
Meth is a hazardous, addictive substance. When a person gets addicted to meth, it may seem that he might not recover completely. However, enrolment in rehabilitation centers and addiction treatment programs can allow meth addicts to cut down their dependence on the drug. If you are addicted to meth, seek help from the specialist and know about the specific treatment program for yourself.
On average, 964000 people over 12 years suffered from meth use disorder in 2017.
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