A Non-Profit Drug & Alcohol Rehab Referral & Placement Service
Let Us Help You. Call Now. 1-800-895-1695

Treatment Options for Meth Addiction Recovery

The use of crystal meth changes the chemistry in the brain however, if treatment is received, the recovery process can help to re-establish healthy brain chemistry. Treatment for crystal meth usually begins with detoxification of the drug. The detoxification process can be very unpleasant and while it doesn’t have a lot of physical symptoms of withdrawal, the psychological symptoms can be so distressing that the person will go back to using the drugs to simply stop the feelings of anxiety and depression that are associated with stopping crystal meth. Although there are medications to help lessens the symptoms, they do not stop them completely. Valium can be given to alleviate the feelings of agitation and anxiety. Haloperidol or phenothiazine can be prescribed to treat psychosis that might occur within the first couple of weeks of withdrawal, and acetaminophen or ibuprofen can be given to treat muscle and body aches.

Treatment Options for Meth Addiction Recovery

meth addiction help

Group therapy is usually a part of meth rehab.

Most people will be able to handle the symptoms of crystal meth withdrawal in an out-patient or home setting. You may want to go it alone, but studies have shown that your chances are much better when you make a plan for recovery with your doctor or drug counselor. As long as there are no underlying health factors and no psychological disorders your doctor will probably recommend that you detox from crystal meth at home. If other factors are involved like addictions to other drugs or alcohol, mental illness or psychological disorders, extreme depression or suicidal thoughts, or if you’ve tried to home detox before and failed, you will probably need residential or inpatient detox. There are many types of recovery programs available across the country specifically put in place to help people to stop their destructive addictions and rebuild healthy and productive lives.

Detox is different for everyone and there is no set amount of time that it will take to complete the process. The first step of the detox process usually takes about a week to two weeks for the person to start thinking more clearly and better assess their next step of recovery. The second step of the detox process usually involves more serious protracted withdrawals or longer lasting withdrawals that occur in the second stage of detox. Protracted withdrawals can be even tougher to get through because the person usually feels intense cravings to use the drug again as before. They might also suffer from anhedonia which means that don’t feel enjoyment out of life any longer. These two things combined can be a disastrous recipe for relapse.

While getting through the first stages are a huge accomplishment you still face an uphill battle. Many make the mistake of trying to return their former lives immediately after completing the detox program without a plan for follow up treatment. The truth is, a commitment to recovery must be made and that getting long term treatment from an inpatient or outpatient facility for at least a year greatly increases your chances of sustained recovery. According to State Library at www.druginfo.sl.nsw.gov, evidence from better-researched drugs suggests that services providing good social support, as well as psychological interventions to help maintain motivation and improve coping skills, are likely to be useful.