Substance Use

Methamphetamine Detox: How to Detox Safely

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How to Detox From Methamphetamine Safely

Methamphetamine is a highly addictive and dangerous chemical stimulant. Meth abuse is a rampant problem in the U.S. Between 2015 and 2018, 1.6 million adults used meth each year.

Short-term and long-term effects of using this drug can lead to severe health problems and death in more tragic cases.

With intense cravings and other painful, difficult withdrawal symptoms, it is highly recommended that in order to make a full recovery safely, users participate in a methamphetamine detox program at a licensed treatment center.

What is a Methamphetamine Detox?

There are currently no drugs available that are effective at removing methamphetamine from the body. There is also no option of tapering off of methamphetamine while in detox.

Instead, medical professionals focus on the withdrawal symptoms of methamphetamine to ensure you are as comfortable as possible as the drug slowly leaves your body.

How Long Will a Methamphetamine Detox Last?

Withdrawal symptoms from methamphetamine addiction start about a day after the last use of the drug.

Cravings for methamphetamine peak from one day after abstinence and can last over the course of seven to ten days from last use.

Intense cravings for the drug can linger for up to five weeks after cessation, increasing the risk of relapse.

This is why undergoing methamphetamine detox in a monitored clinical setting is critical to detoxing safely and preventing relapse. 

What Are the Withdrawal Symptoms During a Methamphetamine Detox?

Physical and emotional symptoms of methamphetamine withdrawal vary in intensity, although cravings for the drug can be severe over several weeks while the user remains abstinent.

The common symptoms of acute withdrawal from methamphetamine include the following:

  • Anxiety
  • Aggression
  • Fatigue
  • Intense cravings
  • Weight gain
  • Dehydration
  • Headaches
  • Excessive sweating
  • Changes in appetite
  • Muscle pain and spasms
  • Psychosis
  • Anxiety
  • Chills
  • Insomnia 
  • Hallucinations 
  • Paranoia 

In the long-term, meth withdrawal can lead to:

  • Severe depression and suicidal thoughts 
  • Cognitive issues
  • Intense cravings and relapse
  • Irregular sleep
  • No longer being able to experience pleasure or joy naturally 

What Types of Treatment Are Used During a Methamphetamine Detox?

If you’re feeling anxious about starting detox, you’re not alone. But it’s important to remember the number one priority of medical detox is to make sure you feel as safe and comfortable as possible during the process.

Methamphetamine detox is typically broken down into three stages:

1. Evaluation

When you are admitted to detox, a medical team will assess your overall health and well-being. This is done in several ways, including urine drug screens to measure how much meth you’ve recently used.

From there, your healthcare team will develop a detox plan tailored to your unique needs.

2. Stabilization

Most patients arrive at detox during the peak of their withdrawal symptoms. Because of this, treatment begins as soon as possible after the evaluation to mitigate the harsh symptoms of meth withdrawal.

As your symptoms improve, your detox team will adjust your treatments.

3. Transitioning to the Next Step

The third step of meth detox is different for everyone. Once you stabilize, you will meet with your detox team to discuss the next steps, whether being admitted to inpatient rehab, getting continued family support, or whatever else may help you stay on your track to sobriety.

It’s important to remember that detox is just the first step in making a full recovery from meth addiction.

Don’t think that once you attend and complete detox, you’ll automatically be free from the chains of addiction.

Recovery is an ongoing process that involves several phases, therapies, and treatment programs. The reward is well worth the effort.

Several factors impact the withdrawal experience, including how long you’ve used meth and how much meth you took each time. Other factors include personal physiology and environment.

For example, people who have a family or personal history of addiction are more likely to experience challenges in recovering and staying sober. 

Can You Detox from Methamphetamine at Home or Not?

At-home detox from methamphetamine is not recommended. The withdrawal symptoms of methamphetamine make it particularly difficult for a user to quit without being under the care and supervision of trained medical staff.

The intense cravings of methamphetamine withdrawal, along with the risk of severe depression and psychosis, make it unsafe and risky to undertake recovery alone.

In a secure, inpatient detox facility, patients are given the care and supervision needed to make a safe and life-long recovery.

Zinnia Healing offers an accredited, inpatient rehabilitation facility with a proven track record of helping people recover from methamphetamine addiction.

How to Find a Methamphetamine Detox Near Me

Zinnia Healing has locations throughout the country and is one of the top methamphetamine detox centers.

If you are looking for the nearest location to you, Zinnia Healing has a list of local detox facilities and addresses on our website. You can also contact us through our 24/7 hotline by calling (877) 554-0016 to find the closet detox center near you.

Zinnia Healing has the necessary tools, staff, and nurturing environment to ensure you have a safe place for rehabilitation and to prevent a methamphetamine relapse.

Our medically supervised meth detox staff ensures that you will remain safe and comfortable while you come off this highly addictive substance.

If you’d like to learn more about getting help for meth addiction, read more about our substance abuse programs here.

These programs help people get the assistance they need to make a life-long recovery through scientifically-backed intervention methods in a supportive, structured, therapeutic environment.

Get your life back with Zinnia Healing. Contact us virtually today or give us a call at (855) 430-9439.

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