How to Wean Off a Meth Addiction

Tapering Meth Withdrawal Symptoms Safely and Effectively

You’ve found yourself struggling with meth addiction, and have no idea how to get clean. I’ve been there. Following years of meth abuse, I got clean as a result of attending Icarus Behavioral Health in New Mexico. But it took work. It took a lot of soul-searching. But I did it, and you can too.

Meth addiction is one of the tougher addictions to overcome.

A drug like meth changes your brain for the worst. It makes you think, say, and do things you have no control over. As a highly addictive stimulant, meth wreaks havoc on everything and everyone it touches.

But you may already know that, so let’s get right to the point and see how to wean off a meth addiction successfully and when seeking treatment for meth can also prove helpful.

What It Takes To Fight Methamphetamine Addiction

The first question you must ask yourself is do you want to get clean? If you are done with the physical and mental health struggles of meth addiction and want to move on with your life, you are already at an advantage. A lot of people never get to a point where they actually want to quit. If you want to put meth behind you, you can do it.

Although it isn’t a simple thing to overcome, the benefits of substance abuse treatment are all worth the struggle. I never imagined that I would get past my meth abuse, but I did, and I’ve made it my mission to help others do the same. Interested in learning more? Here are the little things you can do to make it happen:

The Struggles With Stimulant Use Disorder

Because meth is a powerful stimulant, it is a different type of addiction than say an opioid or alcohol addiction. Meth use causes you to be on high alert at all times. You don’t sleep. You are barely coherent, and your body and mind suffer greatly as a result. There are few drugs that destroy your appearance the way that meth does.

When I was dealing with meth addiction in Albuquerque, the mental hurdles were the worst. Methamphetamine causes many of its users to suffer from intense paranoia and sometimes hallucinations. I would stay awake for days and lose all touch with reality. This is what makes a drug like meth so scary.

The Agony Of Meth Withdrawal Symptoms

The meth withdrawal timeline depends on the level of addiction you are dealing with. Either way, it’s going to be uncomfortable. Meth distorts the brain’s reward system, producing more dopamine than the brain can keep up with. When you quit using meth, your brain has no idea how to handle it. The initial crash from not using meth is very intense.

Fatigue, depression, and disruptions in sleep patterns are some of the initial withdrawal symptoms. I remember the cravings were as intense as any I’ve ever felt within the first couple of days. During the first week that I quit meth, I struggled hard with mood swings and severe body aches as meth leaves your system. I ended up relapsing after that first week.

How To Alleviate Withdrawal Symptoms

I quit cold turkey the first time I tried to get off meth, and it was a disaster. This is why it is usually not recommended. The best way to get through the withdrawals is to enter meth detox.

Having medical supervision when stopping old habits of any form of drug abuse can help to temper some of the withdrawal, although you will most likely struggle no matter what. Acute methamphetamine withdrawal takes everything out of you, but it’s worth it.

Getting past the withdrawal is just the beginning, but it can be done in a safe setting if you are in the right place. When I entered Icarus Behavioral Health, I was given the best treatment I could possibly be given. I did not know at the time, but I later found out that all their practices are evidence-based approaches as set down by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

I was still very uncomfortable during the initial sub-acute medical detox, but I stayed the course knowing that it had to be done.

Discomfort Is A Part Of The Process

Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable is a part of getting off of methamphetamine. No one has an easy time during withdrawal. Keeping your eye on the prize is the only way to make it work. At Icarus, I had a great team reminding me that the discomfort was a part of the process of detox. Even if it seemed never-ending, I was assured that it would pass. And it did. Then the real work began.

When it comes to meth addiction, it often takes more than just treating the physical addiction. In my case, it took a lot of individual and group therapy to work through my issues.

My substance abuse began as a result of years of avoiding my mental health issues. Once I was given the tools to deal with my personal issues, I had the upper hand.

The Fear Of Withdrawal

When it comes to meth addiction, or most other addictions for that matter, fear is what keeps a lot of addicts from seeking help. When you have an active addiction, you are doing everything in your power to not suffer from the methamphetamine withdrawal symptoms. I was terrified of meth withdrawal, but I knew that in order to get clean, it was something I had to deal with.

It helped me to think of the final outcome. I’ve dealt with meth withdrawal and the high cost of meth abuse, both physical and mental, throughout years of addiction. If I could get through it just one more time and come out on the other side of it, then it would be worth it. It’s also important to note that meth withdrawal is very rarely fatal. While uncomfortable, there are only a few forms of drug withdrawal that are fatal.

Quitting Meth Once And For All

Once I got through the withdrawal process and over the symptoms of meth dependence, and began working on my mental health issues, I could feel the shift. I had a tremendous amount of hope and strength that I never had before. That’s not to say I didn’t struggle during my initial recovery.

With a drug like meth, post-acute withdrawal symptoms are common. A lot of former addicts struggle with minor withdrawal symptoms weeks or months into recovery.

The good news is, with the help of places like Icarus Behavioral Health, these withdrawal symptoms can be dealt with if you are keen on staying clean. I didn’t stop having cravings until two months into my recovery. Luckily, the cravings got less and less until they were just fleeting thoughts.

Addiction Treatment Is Possible For Anybody

Meth is a brutal drug to be addicted to. Therefore, it will never be an easy addiction to overcome, and it shouldn’t be. Once I got through all of the withdrawal and the initially vulnerable recovery period, I was so proud of myself for sticking it out. I would highly recommend you make group therapy a part of your process as well. Having encouragement from others struggling with the same thing makes a lot of difference.

I want to stay clean not just for myself, but for the people who helped me along the way. I also know that if I slip up, which can happen to anyone, it doesn’t mean I have failed. Relapse doesn’t have to be the end of your journey.

I’ve gone through it, and most of the addicts I know have. Attending support groups is one of the biggest reasons that I continue to put in the work to stay clean.

Get Clean And Get Your Life Back

We all need things in life that give us a spark. Things that excite us that we can look forward to. Once you get sober and find positive ways to do that, so many possibilities open up. One thing I am passionate about it telling my story and hearing other people’s stories as well. I feel very strongly that the more we open up, the more we break the stigma of addiction.

Because of resources like Icarus Behavioral Health, I have my life and my health back. But it took a lot of work. No one gets clean and sober by not putting in the work. If you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and put in maximum effort, you are already ahead of a lot of other addicts.

Consider contacting Icarus to begin your recovery journey. It can give you everything you’ve been looking for. Its one call I will always remember as being the start of a life I never thought I could have.