Using the Meth Comedown as an Opportunity
Getting Through a Comedown from Meth and Why to Get Support
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The meth comedown phase, that time when the high is waning but the withdrawal process has not yet started, presents a unique opportunity. If you want to quit using meth but haven’t found the will to confront your physical dependence on your drug of choice, this period can be an excellent time to reflect on the possibility of long-term sobriety.
At Changes Healing Center, our staff has guided hundreds of people away from meth use. Our Joint Commission-accredited recovery center knows how challenging the first several days after comedown can be. Even better, we know how to support you during every part of the recovery process.
Keep reading to discover how meth comedown can be an opportunity to change your life for the better.
How Is a Crystal Meth Comedown an Opportunity? 6 Reasons to Seize this Moment to Get Clean
Meth comedown offers a glimmer of rational thinking between when the euphoria of the drug wears off and before the intense cravings of meth comedown symptoms and withdrawal start to impact you.
This short window of rationality gives you time to recognize the need to save yourself from a life of substance use disorder, a diagnosable mental illness. The sweet spot when this time opens up is usually a few hours after the last dose of meth.
1) Gaining Insight Into Substance Abuse Triggers
During a meth comedown, you will think more clearly than the high that occurs shortly after drug use. You may consider the triggers that cause you to feel depressed or anxious, causing you to use meth. It can be a real wake-up call, alerting you that you are ready to give up meth.
2) Seeking Supportive Care from Medical Professionals
During the meth comedown, you might consider ending drug abuse by finding a licensed medical professional to help you find recovery. You might start researching treatment centers or call a helpline for advice.
3) Creates the Opportunity for Self-Care
A meth comedown may alert you to the need to prioritize your self-care. One of the effects of meth is a disregard for taking proper care of your
self. You might notice you’ve neglected your sleep, hydration, and eating well. It’s a chance to put your well-being above using. Make yourself feel well as your body attempts to metabolize the drug.
4) Taking a Break from High-risk Behaviors During Meth Use
Meth addiction makes most people take risks that they’d never consider when sober. That might mean meeting street dealers at shady pickup points or sharing drug paraphernalia with strangers. You might realize the danger of these situations, but the quest to get high makes you set aside your safety.
During meth comedown, you can relax in knowing that you are momentarily safe and secure.
5) Fresh Awareness of Physical Symptoms of Meth and Other Substances
You may look in the mirror and see with clear eyes the toll that meth use has taken on your physical health. The decreased appetite may have made you overly thin or feel muscle aches from not staying hydrated during a binge. You might also see the evidence of meth mouth in your smile.
This new awareness could be a motivating factor forcing you to admit you need professional help.
6) Allows for Mental Health Check-in Time
The emotional low you might feel during meth comedown can be a good time to reflect on your mental health. Answer your own questions honestly. Do you use meth or other drugs to mask the pain of severe depression symptoms? Does the meth use temporarily erase the anxiety that started after a traumatic event?
The thought processes as you answer those questions can lead to internal discomfort. If you feel a bit squeamish answering them, that’s self-awareness kicking in. Acknowledging underlying feelings like depression or even remorse shows you are at least open to considering giving up crystal meth.
Meth Addiction Impacts the Brain and Central Nervous System
Meth use quickly floods both the central nervous system and the brain with dopamine, a neurotransmitter. The rising dopamine levels are the “high” or euphoria you feel after using meth.
After a few weeks of use, this excess release can change the brain’s reward system. It becomes harder to have pleasurable feelings about the small things you used to enjoy without the powerful stimulant. That lack of satisfaction with life drives cravings – the desire for repeated use.
The cycle starts in the first several weeks to months of using meth and eventually leads to methamphetamine addiction.
Meth Withdrawal Symptoms Require a Medically Managed Detox Process
You need managed meth detox process because severe withdrawal symptoms can occur when you stop using meth can endanger you, you should seek the help of a medical detox center during this time. You have an increased risk of intense withdrawal symptoms if you mix meth with other substances, particularly alcohol.
The following symptoms are some of the most frequent we see:
- Fatigue or extreme tiredness
- Sleep changes; either insomnia or sleeping more than usual
- Blood pressure fluctuations
- Mood swings; emotional outbursts
- Headaches
- Poor coordination
- Dry mouth
- Body aches and pains
- Anxiety or depression
- Hallucinations, psychosis, or delusions
- Vomiting; upset stomach
- Thoughts of self-harm or suicidal thoughts
- Intense cravings for meth
Some of these withdrawal symptoms can be life-threatening. With a medical detox center, you’ll have a licensed health professional monitoring your meth withdrawal symptoms. If you are in danger in any way, they will administer FDA-approved medications to ease the worst of the withdrawal symptoms.
For instance, severe cases of vomiting during meth withdrawal can leave you at risk of dehydration, which can damage the heart and brain and cause muscle aches. A substance abuse treatment professional can offer you prescription relief. For many clients, that means an anti-emetic to control the nausea and an IV fluid treatment to help rehydrate the body.
Meth withdrawal is too dangerous. Don’t try to stop using meth cold turkey; the comedown symptoms progress into full withdrawal within a few hours and weaning off meth on your own is challenging and often invites relapse.
And that’s when a accredited addiction treatment center such as our offerings at Changes Healing Center can be a great source of help.
Professional Help: Our Effective Meth Treatment Programs
You probably have many questions about what to expect at a treatment facility. That’s natural!
Quitting addiction can be a time fraught with many challenges. With the guidance of a treatment professional, the initial cravings and withdrawal symptoms will be well-managed. Soon, you can move on to the next steps of treatment.
Inpatient or Outpatient Treatment Options for Methamphetamine Use
Many ask our admissions specialists whether they need inpatient (residential) or outpatient treatment for their methamphetamine abuse. That largely depends on the individual.
Someone with a severe co-occurring disorder, such as psychosis or a personality disorder, might benefit from the around-the-clock setting of inpatient care. The inpatient team is best equipped to manage their complex symptoms and support their wellness.
However, someone with less severe cravings and no symptoms that come from a dual diagnosis may find the more flexible environment of outpatient care sufficient for healing.
No two people experience meth addiction the same, so we help each person decide based on individual needs.
Individual Behavioral Therapies (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Others)
Changes Healing Center supports you with highly skilled, licensed therapists and counselors. They lead you in individual therapies to help change negative behaviors and emotions and break the chains of addiction.
Some evidence-based treatments you might receive include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing (MI), and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT).
Support Groups and Family Therapy
Besides individual therapy, you might experience family or group therapies. These help you build a peer network, confirming that you are not alone on your journey. In particular, family members learn how to become a solid support resource for you after you leave our care.
Aftercare Planning to Ensure Safety in Early Recovery
Leaving the safety net of an addiction treatment center is a time of joy and freedom for most. But some people feel depression or anxiety when they leave the routine that’s become so familiar and comforting.
An aftercare plan helps you set up a routine for yourself, providing you that same comfort after you graduate from your program. It’s essential to plan for ongoing success after you leave the meth rehab facility.
Get Proven Treatment to Support Meth Recovery at Changes
Are you ready for meth addiction treatment? The staff at Changes Healing Center is ready to support clients’ needs as you recover from this powerful stimulant drug. We are with you at every step of the way.
We’ll stay at your side from contacting your insurance provider and coordinating benefits before you arrive until the day you leave the treatment center a healed, sober person.
Call us today to discuss the customized treatment options we can offer you. Your call is no-pressure and always confidential.