Meth Addiction Treatment

Inspiration Health Addiction Treatment Center (IHAT) is a premier outpatient addiction clinic with several locations across Virginia. Learn about our innovative methamphetamines addition treatment.

What are Methamphetamines?

Methamphetamines are highly addictive substances that affect the central nervous system. It is commonly referred to as “meth,” a condensed and abbreviated slang term. Methamphetamines sprang to prominence during World War II when soldiers were given the man-made chemical/drug to keep them awake and aware for extended periods of time. Meth has become popular as a party drug in recent years, providing users with an extremely active euphoric feeling. To achieve the desired state of euphoria, crystal meth users will employ a variety of methods to absorb the drug, including but not limited to snorting, swallowing, smoking, and injecting. The main active ingredient used to make crystal meth, pseudoephedrine, can be found in most over-the-counter cold medicines. The federal government has put restrictions on quantities sold to make the manufacturing of meth much more difficult.

Recent studies and data show that there are alarming upward trends in overdose mortality, greater risk patterns of methamphetamine use, and populations at higher risk for Methamphetamine Use Disorder (MUD) are diversifying rapidly. These concerning statistics show the incredible need for evidence-based prevention and treatment interventions to combat surges in methamphetamine use and MUD.

Signs of Methamphetamine Abuse

All or more of the following behaviors or symptoms may be displayed by people who are misusing crystal meth:

Dilated pupils and rapid eye movements: Users may not be able to keep their gaze on a single object or point in space.
Sporadic involuntary muscle twitches and teeth grinding: People who are high on meth may chew at their lips and tighten their jaw muscles by clamping their teeth together all the time.
Noticeable skin scabbing and scarring: Scabbing appears on the body of Methamphetamine users due to itching and picking at skin irritations.
Weight loss and decreased appetite: Sugar and carbohydrate-rich diets promote poor eating behavior.
Erratic sleeping patterns: When using crystal meth, this might mean being awake for days on end and sleeping for long periods of time as the pharmacological effects wear off and the materials leave the body.
Poor hygiene and general loss of interest in physical appearance: The user’s clothes may appear filthy and wrinkled, and he or she may take fewer baths. The addict’s continual use of crystal meth quickly takes over all aspects of their lives, to the point where they are physically unable to maintain social norms surrounding cleanliness.
Psychological abnormalities: Users may experience emotional instability and mood swings with extreme highs followed by severe lows. As the crystal meth user’s life spirals out of control, maintaining a healthy emotional balance becomes impossible. Other negative psychological symptoms linked with meth usage include paranoia and hallucinations, which have a significant impact on the user’s personal relationships with those closest to them.
Financial hardships and economic despair: Using crystal meth becomes their primary goal in life, and the addict will eventually spend all the money needed to buy the basics on getting the next “fix” or dose of crystal meth. Defaulting on loans, repossession of automobiles, foreclosure of property, and regularly overdrawing bank accounts are just a few examples of signs that someone is no longer capable of managing a responsible budget due to an ever-increasing substance use disorder centered on Methamphetamine consumption.

Meth Withdrawal Symptoms and Timeline

Withdrawal symptoms will most likely peak 48-72 hours after the last methamphetamine dose was delivered. Symptoms can last anywhere from one to three weeks.

Most methamphetamine withdrawal symptoms are psychological and emotional in nature. While the physical symptoms of meth withdrawal are less severe than those of other substances like opiates, the user may suffer any of the following:

Fatigue and excessive sleepiness
Restlessness and an increase in appetite
Severe cravings for more meth and obsessive thoughts of using more of the chemical
Dreams of using the drug or constantly pursuing the purchase of more crystal meth

While the physical symptoms of withdrawal are not life-threatening, severe depressive thoughts can sometimes lead to suicidal ideas, which can result in physical harm or death.

Can Medicine Help to Alleviate the Withdrawal Symptoms?

While no specific drugs have been developed to help control the withdrawal process from methamphetamines, some medications can help alleviate some of the more severe symptoms. Antidepressants like Bupropion have been shown to help with cravings. Mild stimulants, such as Modafinil, a common narcolepsy drug, can help with the unpredictable sleep patterns that might occur after withdrawal. Fluoxetine has been shown to lessen the unpleasant psychological symptoms of excessive fear and anxiousness.

Here at Inspiration Health

Clients receive all the treatments they need to address their Methamphetamine Use Disorder (MUD), all conveniently located under one roof. Inspiration Health Addiction Treatment Center’s medication-assisted treatments offer our clients convenient and inexpensive outpatient options to help them reclaim control of their health. With the purpose of providing each client with a team of professionals to treat their unique, specific needs, we ensure transparent and communicative interactions between our physicians, counselors, and care coordinators. We recognize that, while certain substance use disorders share symptoms, no two people’s journeys are the same, which is why we don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach at Inspiration Health Addiction Treatment Center.

When customers become members of the Inspiration Family and walk through our doors, they can rest assured that they will be treated with dignity and without prejudice. Individuals suffering from Methamphetamine Use Disorder must have considerable fortitude to make the decision to reclaim control of their lives. The IHAT staff takes great satisfaction in providing a welcoming and safe atmosphere for anyone who chooses to join us on this path to recovery from substance abuse.

Medically Assisted Treatment for Meth Addiction

Medication-Assisted Treatment, or “MAT,” is a type of treatment that combines several medications to address substance abuse. Although there is no single treatment to treat MUD, there are several medications that a doctor may give to treat the symptoms of methamphetamine withdrawal. These drugs can help with not just the psychological and physical symptoms of withdrawal, but also with maintaining long-term recovery throughout the maintenance phase of the recovery process.

A combination of the following medicines may be utilized to make the initial withdrawal from methamphetamines as smooth and comfortable as possible for each client as they transition into a new healthy life in recovery:

Clonidine: a drug that can aid with anxiety, impatience, and racing thoughts
Trazadone: an anti-insomnia medication that also enhances mood and appetite
Buspirone: helps to lessen irritation while also reducing anxiety and quick heartbeat
Tizanidine: reduces muscle spasms
Imodium: relieves diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, and other muscle aches and pains caused by opioid withdrawal
Wellbutrin: can alleviate some of the reoccurring obsessive thoughts of wanting to use more methamphetamines
Modafinil: an anti-insomnia drug that promotes rest

Counseling

Counseling is known to be a key component in an individual’s recovery when used in addition to Medication-Assisted Treatment for the treatment of and recovery from methamphetamine use disorders. Our licensed professional counselors and other members of the counseling department are trained in substance abuse counseling and mental health counseling. They regularly conduct individual, group, and family therapy sessions. Techniques used by our Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder counselors include Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Counseling helps clients address grief and loss, family relationships, anger management, and other underlying conditions that may be hindering recovery. Clients are also taught coping skills and given the necessary tools to identify and avoid triggers that may also be necessary for recovery.

Care Coordination

At Inspiration Health Addiction Treatment Center, we have substance use care coordinators who ensure that necessary services, including mental health services, are available to our clients. Our care coordinators and interdisciplinary team which includes our medical doctors make referrals and connect clients to community resources to meet our clients’ social needs. This includes individual care plans that our clients participate in developing in conjunction with our doctors, medical professionals, and counselors to meet our clients’ individual needs and to track our clients’ progress in overcoming Methamphetamine addictions.

Choosing to Stop Is Difficult, Getting Help Should be Easy

Whether its work, taking care of the family, school, or legal obligations, we know our clients have busy lives. Inspiration Health Addiction Treatment Clinic offers a variety of days and times to schedule your next appointment. Can’t make it to the clinic for an in-person appointment? No problem. We offer Telehealth appointments that patients can attend anywhere they have access to a smart phone, tablet, or computer.

Using Telehealth is a very simple process. Clients simply provide staff at Inspiration Health Addiction Treatment Center with a good working email, they receive a link, and click on the link at the designated date and time of telehealth appointment to attend the meeting. Provided the client has a camera on their smart phone, tablet, or computer, they will be able to see the doctor and communicate as if they were sitting in the same physical location.

No camera? No problem. Clients can still attend telehealth appointments without a working camera.