Oftentimes, a person struggling with alcoholism or drug addiction will rule out treatment for fear of losing their job, leaving their family, or for being labeled an addict. Do not let these fears deter you from seeking help for yourself.
Alcohol & Drug Detox
Detoxification and recovery from addictive substances have become more and more prolific in today’s world. 12-step programs are flourishing, and recovery centers are seeing more people for their specific substance addictions.
There are several different ways to get over a substance addiction these days, from inpatient and outpatient recovery centers, straight abstinence and detoxing on your own (which isn’t recommended), holistic medicine, community programs, and others.
The two main classes of substances that people need to detoxify from due to addiction are drugs and alcohol. The “drug” category includes things such as narcotics and opiates like heroin, morphine, Vicodin, cocaine, and so on to “simple” drugs like marijuana.
Methamphetamine
One of the most addictive and destructive illicit substances out on the black market today is methamphetamine. It can be used in various ways, such as by snorting, injecting, or smoking it. The drug creates a false sense of confidence and well-being and gives a euphoric rush when used. It also decreases appetite.
Over time, destroys many parts and functions of the body. The tissue that the drug comes into contact with most regularly (i.e., if it was sniffed, then the nose, or smoked, the mouth, teeth, throat, lungs, etc.) slowly becomes deteriorating and rots away. Tooth decay and lung deterioration can occur, leading to respiratory illnesses and severe tooth infections, which can be fatal. If the drug is injected, abscesses can form as well as the possibility of infectious diseases being contracted. If the drug is sniffed, the issue in the nose begins to disappear.
After long usage, meth deteriorates the blood vessels in the body, mainly those in the brain and heart. Strokes, heart attacks, and high blood pressure can occur from this.
Along with the physical, a series of mental illnesses can occur. Most forms of psychosis may be inevitable if the user has been using meth long enough. General confusion, apathy, and disorientation can occur as well.
Meth Detox
If one were to decide that it was time to quit using meth, then there are several options available for detoxification and recovery. Aside from its destructive capabilities and heavy addiction rates, the physical withdrawals from meth are not that bad compared to the withdrawals of other substances. It’s the psychological dependency that makes detoxing from meth difficult to any degree.
They are similar to quitting smoking, wherein the person who is detoxing has strange mood swings, from jumpy and irritable to flat and apathetic. At worst, sleep can be drastically reduced, even resulting in insomnia. Withdrawals from meth, in general, do not last more than a few days.
Despite the fact that the withdrawals from meth tend not to be too drastic and are short-lived, it is still recommended that the user seek medical attention and support to quitting meth due to the high recidivism rate associated with former meth users. In the fog of withdrawals, users feel that in order to get rid of the withdrawals from using meth, especially if they were heavy user, more meth will fix it, starting the vicious cycle all over again.
