Will Meth Detox Treatment Cure My Addiction Problem?
As one of the most addictive stimulant drugs on the market, a meth addiction can develop in little to no time at all with frequent drug use. Anyone who’s used meth on a continuous basis well knows how difficult it can be to stop using this drug.
Once addiction becomes an issue, stopping drug use entails overcoming meth’s hold on the body and the mind. While some people may only need meth detox treatment to break addiction’s hold, these individuals are likely few and far between. Albeit so, there’s no getting around the meth detox process when trying to overcome addiction.
The Effects of Meth Addiction
A meth “high” leaves users feeling invincible, with seemingly boundless levels of energy and perceived capability. These effects develop out of the influx of neurotransmitter chemicals once meth enters the brain. Over time, the brain comes to depend on meth to produce needed levels of these chemicals to regulate the body’s functions.
According to the U. S. National Library of Medicine, once a person starts the meth detox process, he or she experiences the exact opposite of a meth “high” in the form of withdrawal effects. In essence, brain and body functions “crash” in the absence of the drug.
Physical Effects
Restlessness and severe depression are common symptoms of meth withdrawal.
Physical effects experienced in meth detox include:
- Plummeting energy levels
- Lethargy
- Restlessness
- Irritability
- Lethargy
- Increase in appetite
- Long periods of sleep
Psychological Effects
Much like the physical breakdown that takes place, people going through meth detox also experience a mental breakdown, which can be frightening in cases of severe meth addiction.
Psychological withdrawal effects take the form of:
- Extreme paranoia
- Bouts of anxiety
- Psychosis along the lines of schizophrenia
- Severe depression
- Thoughts of suicide
- Vivid dreams or nightmares
- Intense drug cravings
For information on meth detox programs call 888-647-0051 (Who Answers?) .
The Purpose of Meth Detox Treatment
While meth detox treatment is a necessary part of the recovery process, it doesn’t cure the addiction problem. In effect, months or years of meth abuse essentially “rewires” the brain’s chemical and physical makeup with all of these changes being dependent on meth’s continued availability.
The purpose of meth detox treatment works to help a person make it through the detox stage as the discomfort that comes with withdrawal can quickly drive a person back to using again. This is accomplished using medications to help stabilize a person’s physical and mental state and providing ongoing emotional support.
The Need for Ongoing Treatment
While it may seem like meth addiction lives in the body, it takes root within the mind in terms of how a person thinks, feels and behaves. In this respect, addiction treatment doesn’t actually start until a person completes the meth detox stage.
According to the Illinois Attorney General resource site, addiction’s effects on the mind show up in the addict’s life in the following ways:
- Inability to control drug use
- Changes in lifestyle, such as loss of employment, relationship problems, declining health
- Persistent drug cravings
Once meth detox ends, a person must enter into some form of behavioral-based treatment or else the odds of maintaining abstinence for any length time are slim to nil.
If you or someone you know struggles with meth abuse and addiction and have questions about available treatment options, please don’t hesitate to call our toll-free helpline at 888-647-0051 (Who Answers?) to speak with one of our addictions specialists.
