Overcoming Meth Addiction

Breaking free from a severe stimulant dependence can feel like it sits just beyond your reach. If you are researching how to stop using meth, please don’t lose heart. Simply recognizing the heavy toll it takes on your daily life is a courageous first step, and the right support is closer than you think once you learn about the substance abuse treatment programs available to you.

The path toward lasting meth addiction recovery means caring for a severe chemical dependency while also riding out some intense emotional waves. When you are learning how to beat meth addiction, the smartest move is to figure out what helps with meth cravings during those early days of detox. You can enroll in prescription drug stabilization plans or specific alcohol withdrawal treatment pathways, both of which provide medical supervision based on the substance you are facing.

Finding the best treatment for meth addiction comes down to choosing programs built on evidence-based therapies. Working with focused clinical counseling models that help repair the cognitive and behavioral patterns you’re facing is a strong place to begin. Pairing that with dedicated mental health services in Tennessee near you builds a solid foundation for realistically overcoming meth addiction. To talk things through with us, contact our facility intake center today.

The Growing Crisis and Reality of Meth Abuse

The US Department of Justice reported that in 2017, just under a million people in America over the age of twelve were actively using methamphetamines. In that same year, over 150,000 people sought addiction treatment. When you consider the potent and deadly nature of meth—a reputation we’re sure you’re aware of—those numbers are staggering.

The hard truth is that meth addiction just takes hold rapidly, often crippling the individual within a span of months. Beating it is a lifesaving endeavor, but it is no easy task. Thankfully, with our current understanding of methamphetamines, addiction specialists have real tools, proven strategies, and dedicated meth rehab built for this specific addiction. Today, it has never been more possible for you or someone you love to overcome a meth addiction.

Read on to learn what you need to know about the fight against meth addiction and the warning signs to look out for.

Understanding Methamphetamines

Methamphetamine is a drug manufactured illegally, usually using an amphetamine base with added ingredients to increase its potency. It is a stimulant by nature, which means it kicks the CNS (central nervous system) into hyperdrive and forces the brain to overproduce neurotransmitters.

For anyone unfamiliar, neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers in our brain. They help govern our organ systems, mood, emotions, sleep, and more. The neurotransmitter meth exploits most is dopamine, the “feel good” chemical we release when something brings us pleasure. You eat chocolate, hug someone, or watch a movie you love, and your brain responds by producing dopamine, essentially telling you this experience is “rewarding.”

Certain studies have pointed to meth stimulating this neurotransmitter by 1000%, which tells you everything about its potency. When individuals ingest methamphetamine by snorting, smoking, or injecting it, they feel enormous waves of euphoria, sharpened alertness, heightened sensitivity, and a rush of energy. Meth is one of the strongest drugs available on the streets, and once that “rush” is felt, it often only takes that single experience to pull an individual back. Eventually, the cycle gives birth to addiction.

The Dangers of Meth Addiction

Meth is one of the most infamous—and most stigmatized—addictions plaguing our society today. Much of that comes from what it does to the body, especially the mouth. As someone keeps using meth regularly, they may experience any of these symptoms and side effects of meth abuse at some point along their use timeline.

• Gum Disease & Dental Deterioration: a 2015 study at UCLA showed the relationship between meth use and gum disease. Of roughly 500 subjects, over 90% had some sort of cavity, while more than half had tooth decay. Only a little over 20% had kept all of their natural teeth, well below the standard for the general population. There’s a reason the image of severe dental damage is so closely tied to meth use.
• Overdose: in 2015, over 5,000 people died of an isolated meth overdose. That doesn’t even account for overdoses involving meth alongside other substances. Often this comes in the form of cardiac arrest, as the CNS is overstimulated, the heartbeat turns irregular, and blood pressure soars.
• Stroke: because meth can interrupt blood flow to the brain, stroke is not uncommon among an individual who has been taking the substance over a long-term. When the brain cannot receive a proper supply of blood, a stroke can follow.
• Hyperthermia: not to be confused with hypothermia, hyperthermia happens when the body’s temperature spikes, rapidly and violently overheating. When this occurs, organ systems begin to fail, leading to serious complications and, at times, death.
• Psychosis: because meth has such a powerful influence on the brain’s chemistry—particularly the overstimulation of dopamine—individuals on substances can develop psychosis. From hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia to triggering underlying mental disorders, psychosis is one of the main concerns for someone addicted to meth.
• Broken Relationships & Careers: the most glaring dangers of meth addiction are what it does to the body and brain. But as the addiction strengthens and the individual chooses methamphetamine over everything else, relationships crumble, careers fall apart, and they can trade their whole life for meth use.

Treating Meth Addiction

Right now, there is no single standardized treatment for meth addiction, nor a universally accepted medication to aid the process. Each rehab center takes a slightly different approach, and as rehab strategies keep evolving, these programs are usually tailored specifically to the individual.

That said, there is one type of therapy widely agreed to be the most effective. Before we dive into the “Matrix Model,” here are the factors that can shape the strategy chosen:

• Age
• Health
• Length of use

The Matrix Model

According to NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse), the flagship treatment for meth addiction is the Matrix Model, an intensive outpatient program credited with tens of thousands of full recoveries over the last ten years. Typically it takes the form of an outpatient program lasting anywhere from 30 to 90 days, while staying intensive across a roughly four-month duration.

If you’re looking to overcome your meth addiction, this could very well be the key. Below is what you can usually expect from a rehab offering Matrix Model treatment:

1. Evaluation: specialists assess the individual and, once the assessment is complete, categorize the severity of their addiction. This first step shapes everything that follows: how long the patient should stay in inpatient care, the estimated severity of their meth withdrawal symptoms, and which type of treatment will work best.
2. Detox: while there is no FDA-approved medicine for meth-specific detox, a rehab facility provides 24/7 medical support. The team works to ease withdrawal symptoms, stabilize the patient, and prevent health complications. The most dangerous part of meth detox is usually the strain it places on the mind, and that is noted, accounted for, and prepared for.
3. Therapy: this is the heart of the Matrix Model, addressing the many layers of meth addiction. Usually carried out in group therapy, it helps the individual understand why the addiction first started, how to manage anxiety and cravings to prevent relapse, how to identify underlying mental disorders that may have contributed, which triggers to avoid, and what to do if a relapse happens (an extremely important tool to build). Depending on the program length, the bulk of this work happens in the first two months.
4. Aftercare: once the patient finishes the core program, a roughly nine-month aftercare plan usually follows. This includes support groups, continued group therapy, and one-on-one sessions with trained therapists. Those one-on-one sessions give the patient room to unpack life after treatment, the struggles they face, and work to patch any gaps left behind.

While many treatments exist for meth addiction, a study of over 900 participants enrolled in the Matrix Model showed a success rate of over 50%—but only for those who followed through with the nine months of aftercare. Those numbers are remarkable, since results like that are not typical in the fight against addiction.

Naltrexone

While there is no medication used universally for meth addiction, a study by UCLA researchers found real promise with Naltrexone, a drug used to treat alcoholism. A small group of participants were hospitalized, given either Naltrexone or a placebo, and then a week later given intravenous doses of meth.

The scientists found that when they tested participants’ resolve toward meth use after it was given again, Naltrexone significantly reduced the usually violent cravings that follow a cessation of meth use. By blocking opioid receptors in the brain, it dampens the “high” individuals on meth chase, meaning they get far less of a reward from meth while on Naltrexone.

Methamphetamine Cravings

If you’re here because you’re choosing to start down the road to recovery and overcome your meth addiction, it helps to know what to expect, especially what tends to motivate relapse. With many drugs, withdrawal can be such an emotionally and physically taxing process that individuals taking substances panic at the peak of their symptoms and rush back to their vice for relief.

Believe it or not, meth withdrawal is notably easier than that of heroin, alcohol, and other addictive substances. Like all stimulants, it has a stronger influence on the psyche than on the body. That means it is predominantly emotional and, for a brain that started out healthy, easier to overcome. The real challenge of meth abstinence is the cravings, which can last for weeks, months, and even years.

Scientists believe this comes down to how meth affects the brain’s mechanics, shown by the fact that dopamine neurons can remain damaged years after a person stops using. This is not typical of most substances, where the brain can usually restore its balance and original function.

This, too, speaks to meth’s potency. Because the cravings outlast those of other substances, a medication like Naltrexone could potentially ease the hardest part of meth abstinence, which would likely improve the results of every form of meth addiction treatment.

Quitting Meth on Your Own

We deeply respect a strong will and fully support your decision to step away from methamphetamines. Even so, quitting meth “cold turkey” on your own can bring serious health complications that call for medical supervision. Meth addiction is an all-encompassing dependency, and stopping abruptly can cause severe withdrawal:

• Depression: the “come down” from meth is one of the most common symptoms experienced when use stops. In this state, the brain lacks the dopamine it needs to regulate healthy emotions. That depression can give way to suicidal thoughts, or push the person to use again in hopes of holding onto some happiness.
• Dehydration: because meth can induce hyperthermia, the body is often dehydrated during withdrawal, which can lead to organ failure and other complications. For someone quitting on their own, this is a real health risk.
• Insomnia: nearly all individuals who stop experience some disruption to their sleep, with insomnia at the extreme. Lack of sleep further stresses the brain and stirs emotional turmoil. At a time when the body desperately needs rest, the inability to sleep can create a host of problems.

Understanding these withdrawal symptoms makes it clear why meth detox should take place under medical supervision. Whether at a rehab, hospital, or doctor’s office, a patient’s vitals need monitoring and their mental state needs nurturing. At minimum, the goal is a comfortable enough detox that does not send the patient reeling back toward meth use.

While it is highly unlikely that any single meth withdrawal symptom will kill a person, it is more than likely they will struggle to handle detox alone and eventually relapse. A medical detox setting greatly reduces that risk.

Finding the Right Support for Sustainable Healing

Choosing to seek professional help is a vital milestone on the road to long-term meth addiction recovery. For many, breaking the cycle of severe stimulant abuse calls for a protective inpatient rehab environment to maintain physical safety. Committing to a structured 30-day inpatient program provides an essential clinical reset, while choosing our premium luxury treatments in Nashville offers maximum comfort under the care of experienced medical specialists.

We know that specific populations need uniquely tailored support to find success. While our core medical curriculum focuses heavily on evidence-based therapies and dual-diagnosis care for co-occurring mental health conditions, we also gladly connect patients with dedicated outside networks specializing in Christian addiction counseling. Our intake team routinely coordinates community care paths for pregnant women needing care, as well as highly specialized programs designed for elderly adults in rehab settings. For those who need flexibility, our outpatient programs keep care connected to everyday life.

Taking the Next Step

You don’t have to feel completely ready to begin. Almost no one does. Readiness is not a calm, certain feeling that arrives before you act—it is something that grows after you make the call, once you realize you are no longer facing this alone. The best treatment for meth addiction works not because it erases fear, but because it surrounds you with people who have helped others walk this exact path.

If part of you is tired—tired of the cycle, tired of pretending, tired of waking up and bracing for the same fight—then let that exhaustion point you somewhere good. A dedicated meth addiction rehab exists to take the weight off your shoulders and hold the logistics so you can focus on healing. Overcoming meth addiction is absolutely possible, and you do not have to map the whole journey today. You only have to take the next step.

Meth addiction is a merciless disease, but with a strong will and the tools available today, it is beatable. Our team is ready to handle the logistics and walk you through rehab coverage options so that financial questions never stand between someone and the care they need. Reclaim your life, make room for the future you deserve, and reach our admissions desk today.

Sources:

• US National Library of Medicine. Study of Medical Treatment for Methamphetamine Addiction (BUP PGx). February, 2014. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00833443
• UCLA Health. Browse U Magazine. Potentially Effective Treatment for Meth Addiction. April, 2015. https://www.uclahealth.org/u-magazine/potentially-effective-treatment-for-meth-addiction
• National Institute on Drug Abuse. Methamphetamine Research Report. https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/methamphetamine
• What is Meth Made From? https://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/crystalmeth/what-is-meth-made-from.html