Meth Addiction

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There are many roads to successful methamphetamine addiction recovery, but not all of them are equal. Drug addiction is painful to kick, but once lasting success has been achieved, the life of the patient is altered for the better. Most of the methods are not mutually exclusive, and many patients find that mixing multiple techniques for easing the recovery helps to ensure success.

Significance
Meth addiction devastates both the mind and body. The persistent dehydration combined with developed reliance on meth to stay energetic and alert has devastating long-term effects. The addiction wreaks havoc on the heart and liver while gradually damaging the skin, gums and teeth. Addicts often find it nearly impossible to hold down full-time employment, maintain relationships with non-users or work to better themselves. As the negative consequences of addiction pile on, many addicts eventually decide to make an effort to change their behavior–for good.

Types
There are three primary approaches towards treating meth addiction: medical, psychological and social. A combination of all three is necessary for successful treatment. The first improves the relationship that the patient has with her body, the second with the mind and feelings and the third with fellow peers. A deficiency in any of these three primary relationships can either impede or obstruct a patient’s efforts at recovery.

Function
The medical approach helps to soothe the physical pain involved in recovering from meth addiction. A doctor or nurse at a meth recovery center can listen to your descriptions of your symptoms, monitor your physical condition and prescribe safe drugs to help you break your habit. The isolation at an inpatient treatment center often helps many recovering addicts find success, as well. Outpatient programs have the most success when the patient remains in regular contact with health care professionals. You can find free listings for treatment programs around the country in the References section below.

Considerations
Physical treatment of meth addiction can only go so far. Most addicts start using drugs because of unmet emotional needs during childhood, or to help them self-medicate to cope with physical, verbal or sexual abuse. Therapy–either in groups or individually–is not as expensive as you might think. Many therapists offer sliding scale payments, and some counselors provide therapy for free as a charitable service under certain conditions. Psychotherapy can address the underlying problems that lead to the drug use in the first place, and help users cope with cravings in the months going forward.

Prevention/Solution
Recovering meth addicts often discover that they need to completely change their social network in order to make their recovery possible. Joining a group like Crystal Meth Anonymous