Millions of Americans use meth every day. Many of these individuals are in denial about their drug problem. Others know they have a problem but don’t know how to get help. If you love someone with a meth addiction, you can help them get the treatment they so desperately need.
Methamphetamine, or meth, is a drug that stimulates brain activity and increases dopamine levels. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter responsible for feelings of pleasure and euphoria. These elevated dopamine levels explain why meth users thrive under stimulation, which often manifests as hyperactivity. However, this also makes meth users susceptible to paranoia, agitation, and anxiety.
As the brain adapts to elevated dopamine levels, it will begin to produce less of this neurotransmitter. At this point, most meth users no longer experience pleasure unless they continue taking the drug. This is called tolerance. When individuals develop a tolerance for meth, they are also likely to build a tolerance for other drugs and alcohol.
People can recover from addiction. Call 866.262.0531 today to help someone you love who is addicted to meth.
Helping a Loved One Get Meth Addiction Treatment
There are no medications to cure crystal meth addiction. This means that treatment consists of therapy, coping skills, education, and training in life skills after detox. Recovery from meth abuse is hard work but very worthwhile.
Of course, the first step into treatment begins at home. The person stuck in the terrible cycle of meth abuse has to agree to go into rehab for their new life of recovery to begin. Helping someone you love to see they need this treatment is never easy.
Unfortunately, some people considering recovery need to hit a “bottom” before they decide to get clean. This is a stage in which the person abusing drugs realizes that their life has become unmanageable. They may have lost jobs, friendships, or faced legal consequences from meth use. It can take months or even years for this point to be reached so it is important to be patient.
Approaching loved ones about recovery is never a good idea when they’re high. You should wait to talk to them about rehab until they’re sober. In fact, it’s best to talk about recovery when they’re feeling inspired to improve.
How Do You Talk About Meth Addiction with a Loved One?
To help them see addiction treatment is the right path, you can talk about things like:
- How the crystal meth affects their relationships
- Examples of the life changes they’ve experienced due to addiction
- Ways treatment can help them have a better life
- How their support system will grow stronger and bigger through rehab
- That they’re not alone in their struggle
- How much easier a sober life is, compared to their current life
The overall goal for your loved one is getting him or her into rehab. You should be loving and supportive in your talk about crystal meth addiction and the damage it’s doing to his or her life. You must be honest, but don’t be angry or assign blame. Knowing that you’re with your loved one in this decision will make going to rehab easier.
What to Expect from Meth Addiction Treatment
Meth treatment forms a foundation for a healthy, sober life. In rehab, therapists employ many types of therapy and treatments to help individuals gain strong recovery. Quality rehab centers provide treatment to fit each person’s unique needs as part of an individual treatment plan. What works best for one may not be best for another person in meth treatment.
The types of treatment that may make up your loved one’s plan include:
- Supervised detox just before entry to rehab
- Addiction, withdrawal, relapse and trigger education
- Individual therapy
- Family education and therapy
- 12-step program support
- Periodic drug testing
- Group therapy
- Life skills coaching
- Holistic therapies
If you’re part of your loved one’s inner circle, you may also take part in family therapy during his or her rehab experience. This is very helpful for everyone involved. After all, your loved one’s drug abuse has affected your life, too. Also, by learning more about triggers, relapse, enabling and other important details of addiction through family education, you can help him or her stay stronger in their recovery.
Finding the Right Meth Addiction Treatment in Portland
As you review options of different addiction programs, remember that your loved one needs treatment designed specifically for his or her unique needs. Crestview Recovery in Portland, Oregon provides individualized care as part of intensive outpatient, PHP and outpatient programs. These programs also provide aftercare, so your friend or family member has the support he or she needs upon returning to their home community.
Crestview Recovery is an adults-only program centered on addiction therapy services and dual diagnosis treatment needed for strong recovery. Call Crestview Recovery at 866.262.0531 to learn more about these programs and how your loved one can get the help he or she needs.
Since 2016, Dr. Merle Williamson, a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University, has been the Medical Director at Crestview Recovery, bringing a rich background in addiction medicine from his time at Hazelden Treatment Center. He oversees outpatient drug and alcohol treatments, providing medical care, setting policies, detox protocols, and quality assurance measures. Before specializing in addiction medicine, he spent 25 years in anesthesiology, serving as Chair of Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente. This experience gives him a unique perspective on treating prescription drug addiction.
