Prescription Drug Addiction Treatments

This article includes all you need to know about prescription drug addiction treatments, including the drugs with the highest risk of addiction.

Understanding Meth Addiction

Methamphetamine was formerly widely and legally accessible in pill and injectable versions throughout the US. It was initially recommended as a decongestant and weight reduction aid. Most methamphetamine addicts consume the substance illegally, including meth and crystal meth.

The most typical color of meth is white, although it can also be yellow, pink, or brown. Meth is a crystalline powder. It has no smell, is bitter, and may be dissolved in liquid. The most popular consumption methods include smoking, snorting, and injecting.¹

What Is Meth Addiction?

Meth is a stimulant that is highly addictive and can lead to addiction after only one usage. The drug’s dopamine surge mainly causes this. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that affects motivation, memory retention, learning, and reward processing, and makes us feel good. ²

Meth produces a surge of dopamine significantly greater than the amount naturally created in the brain. This keeps users taking the substance to maintain elevated and happy sensations. ³

How Common Is Meth Addiction?

In general terms, meth is highly addictive. Because it acts rapidly and generates a potent euphoric effect, this relatively common substance has maintained popularity among drug users who take it recreationally. Since it is simple to produce in home laboratories, people who develop an addiction to it have easy access to a regular drug supply.

One can inject, snort, swallow, or smoke crystal meth. Because it makes one awake and enables you to stay attentive for longer than usual, it’s frequently used during parties.

How Is Meth Misused?

Clear or blue crystals in the form of crystallized crystal meth are commonly smoked. Most methamphetamine addicts consume the substance illegally, including meth and crystal meth. To sell less of the actual drug for the same price and generate a higher profit margin, many drug dealers may “cut” Meth with other narcotics.

Sometimes, prescription drugs like antidepressants and opioids are used to cut methamphetamine. Due to pharmacological interactions, these additives can be harmful and might increase the risk of overdosing.

How to Recognize Meth Addiction?

There are several indications of meth addiction; these will be detailed below.

Mood Changes

Unusual mood swings frequently accompany the abuse of methamphetamine. These mood swings can be abrupt and can shift abruptly. Anxiety, impatience, and paranoia are possible symptoms of these alterations.

Behavioral Changes

A change in conduct is another indication of meth usage. Meth addiction is frequently defined by the fact that after they get hooked, users often cease caring about what other people think about their drug use, even if they may initially take care to attempt to disguise their drug usage. Examples include insomnia, resentment toward loved ones and friends, and a lack of interest in hobbies.

Physical Changes

Changes in someone’s physical appearance are often the quickest indicator of using meth. Methamphetamine is renowned for dramatically impacting a person’s appearance, even after only a short period of use. These physical indicators of meth usage include decayed teeth and sore gums (meth mouth), hair that is thinning or falling out, meth sores or scratches on the skin, track marks, etc.

Health Issues

Other health-related issues such as cardiovascular issues may arise because of meth addiction.

Social Withdrawal

People addicted to meth may start isolating themselves from social gatherings to keep their addiction a secret.

Poor Performance

Meth users reliant on it tend to put it before everything else since it is such an addictive substance. Other aspects of their lives will therefore suffer, leading to poor performance.

Financial or Legal Problems

Meth users will give up everything to ensure the drug is available for their use. They may sell all their properties to get money to buy the drug; this may lead to a financial crisis.

Side Effects and Risks of Meth Addiction

Meth addiction has both short-term and long term-term effects, which are explained below:

Short-Term Effects of Meth Addiction

The drug’s rapid and enduring high, for which it is known, is what drives users to consume it. When smoked, the substance’s vapor swiftly passes from the lungs to the bloodstream, which quickly reaches the brain. There is virtually instantaneous pleasure, followed by a boost in energy and vigilance that can continue for up to 12 hours—because the substance operates as a stimulant all through the brain and body.

Long-Term Effects of Meth Addiction

When crystal meth is consumed over an extended period, the short-term effects intensify and become more complicated, resulting in severe health and psychological problems. The following are warning signs of chronic crystal meth use:

More enduring psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations, paranoia, and delusions
Increased instances of social isolation, sadness, and other mental health problems
Unusual conduct and confusion
A skin-borne bugging sensation
Body sores caused by skin plucking by users
Breathing issues brought on by smoke inhalation.
Damage to blood vessels is permanent, especially in the heart and brain
Stroke
Coma

Meth Addiction Treatments

Helping you maintain a healthy lifestyle without taking meth is the aim of therapy. Other underlying problems like anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may also be addressed during treatment. Meth addiction has a variety of treatment methods which include:

Intervention
Detoxification
Inpatient treatment
Outpatient treatment
Medications
Counseling and therapy
Aftercare and support groups

Meth Addiction Therapies

Meth addiction is treatable with the following therapy measures:

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy: Cognitive behavioral therapy is frequently utilized in the fight against addiction. Cognitive-behavioral techniques assume that learning processes are crucial in emerging maladaptive behavioral patterns, such as substance misuse. Meth addiction is treatable with the following therapy measures:
Contingency Management Interventions: In Contingency Management (CM) treatments, patients are given a benefit if they achieve a treatment objective or, in certain situations, a penalty if they don’t.
The Matrix Model: The Matrix Model offers a framework for drawing stimulant users into treatment and assisting them in achieving abstinence (for example, methamphetamine and cocaine). Patients receive guidance and support from a qualified therapist, gain knowledge about self-help programs, and gain insight into aspects that are crucial to addiction and relapse. ⁴

Get Help For Meth Addiction at Arrow Passage Recovery

Insurance coverage often covers the cost of heroin, cocaine, and meth addiction treatment programs. However, the extent of each person’s plan’s insurance coverage for addiction might differ significantly.

What to Expect From Meth Addiction Treatment?

Meth addiction is a treatable disorder. Although the results of treatment are in the line with those for other chronic illnesses, rehabilitation is a long-term process. Be gentle to yourself and be patient with yourself. If you require assistance, don’t be reluctant to ask for it. Your doctor may ask a few questions; ensure you are honest with your answers.

Contact an Addiction Professional Today

If you are addicted to meth, you may want to get professional help at Arrow Passage Recovery as soon as possible. There are professionals who have been trained to assist you through recovery and will give you the best care possible so that you don’t have to do it alone.

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