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Addiction and Treatment
Meth's Impact on Health
Symptoms of Meth Usage
Treatment Facts
Principles of Effective Treatment
Meth's Impact on Health
Methamphetamine use has been linked to memory loss, aggression, violence, psychotic behavior and potential heart and neurological damage. It also contributes to the transmission of hepatitis, HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases.
Symptoms of Meth Use
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Treatment Facts
Withdrawal from meth is characterized by drug craving, depressed mood, disturbed sleep patterns and increased appetite.
People recovering from meth benefit from the same treatment strategies used to address other additions like therapy designed to modify a patient's thinking and behaviors in order to increase coping skills.
Matching an individual's symptoms to the appropriate treatment level, and retaining people in treatment and services for sufficient time are important for successful treatment. Some people can successfully be treated on an outpatient basis. To be effective, treatment must be tailored to each individual's needs.
Recovering from substance abuse additions, including meth addition, is an ongoing process that is very similar to chronic illness management. It is unrealistic to expect a cure. Recovery may involve more than one treatment episode. There are currently no medications available to treat addition or overdose due to amphetamine-like drugs such as methamphetamine. Residential and outpatient treatment can be effective for people with methamphetamine addition, and generally require a minimum of 90 days, including detoxification period long enough for some clearing of thinking and judgment.
Principles of Effective Treatment
- No single treatment is appropriate for all individuals. Matching treatment setting, interventions and services to individual needs is crucial to treatment success.
- Treatment should be readily available. Treatment opportunities may be lost, if people cannot access treatment.
- Effective treatment attends to multiple needs. Treatment must address drug use and any medical, psychological, social, vocational and legal problems.
- Individual treatment and service plans must be assessed continually and modified to meet changing needs. A person may require varying combinations of services during treatment and recovery. Treatment should be appropriate for an individual's age, gender, ethnicity and culture.
- Remaining in treatment for an adequate period of time is critical. According to research, the threshold of significant improvement is reached at about three months of treatment. Additional treatment can produce further progress toward recovery.
- Counseling and other behavioral therapies are critical components of effective treatment. Therapy helps address motivation, builds skills to resist drug use and improves problem solving abilities and an individual's ability to function in the family and community.
- Addicted individuals with coexisting mental disorders should be assessed and treated for both.
- Medical detoxification is only the first stage of treatment.
- Treatment does not need to be voluntary to be effective. Sanctions and enticements at home, work or in the corrections system increase treatment entry, retention and outcomes.
- Possible drug use during treatment must be monitored continuously. Testing can help people withstand urges to use drugs and can help adjust treatment plans, if needed.
- Recovery from addiction is a long-term process.
Addiction/Treatment Resources
Methamphetamine Brochure (PDF)Blue Earth County Sheriff's Department brochure used to educate about meth, how to spot a meth lab and what to do if you find a meth lab.
Do's and Don't of Loving Meth Addicts/Do's and Don'ts for the Family and Friends of Meth Addicts From the website of a former meth addict.
Information provided by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
