Meth Addiction in Killeen, TX
Regaining control of your life after struggling with meth addiction in Killeen begins with reaching out and asking for help. It's common for people caught in a cycle of meth addiction to continue taking the drug, even when they know it's creating negative consequences. This is often due to the user trying to prevent the horribly unpleasant psychological withdrawal symptoms associated with detoxing from meth.
Drug rehab centers can provide the right combination of therapies, treatments and medications designed to improve the outcomes of meth addiction recovery. The key to treating meth addiction is tailored treatment programs in Killeen to suit each person's individual needs.
What is Methamphetamine Addiction?
Methamphetamine is a powerfully addictive stimulant drug used for recreational purposes. The man-made synthetic drug can be available as a white powder or in clear crystal form that looks somewhat like glass fragments.
The ‘high' caused by taking meth is intense and sets in quickly, but the effects fade away just as quickly soon after. Some people taking meth may attempt to recapture the initial rush or sustain the high by taking repeated doses soon after the effects of the drug wear off.
The repeated use pattern is known as a ‘binge/crash' cycle and can last for several days in some cases. During the binge/crash cycle, an affected user will often not sleep or eat until the body's resources are completely depleted. When the body can no longer continue, the person falls into a deep, unnatural sleep that also lasts for far longer than usual.
When the person does eventually wake up, the body is nutritionally depleted and often severely dehydrated. However, the user's psychological frame of mind also changes after using meth.
Methamphetamine use sends an artificial trigger for the brain to release a flood of dopamine into the system. At the same time, the drug blocks the brain's ability to recycle, or re-uptake, the increased surge of feel-good hormones in the system.
When use of the drug stops the brain can't adapt. The user's brain becomes accustomed to only releasing dopamine if it continues to receive the artificial stimulation from taking more of the drug.
However, the brain is also fooled into becoming unable to release dopamine under normal conditions, so the person is unable to experience pleasure from activities or behaviors that would normally be rewarding, such as eating or procreating.
At this point, the person is considered dependent on meth, or addicted.
Meth Withdrawal Symptoms For Drug Detox in Killeen
The psychological come-down, or crash, after the effects of meth wear off can be psychologically unbearable for many people. The person may experience fierce cravings to take more of the drug that are so intense they'll do almost anything to get more.
Other withdrawal symptoms of meth can include:
- Anxiety
- Excessive fatigue
- Aggression
- Extreme mood swings
- Psychosis
- Delusional behavior
- Profound depression
- Suicidal thoughts and tendencies
How is Meth Used?
Meth can be used in a number of ways. As a white powder, meth can be snorted through the nostrils in a similar way to cocaine, or dissolve din water and injected directly into the veins in a similar way to heroin. In crystal form, meth may be heated up so the vapor can be inhaled or smoked.
Dangers of Meth Use
Abusing meth over a period of time can cause a range of physical and mental health problems which dual diagnosis in Killeen can detect, including:
- Irregular heartbeat
- Elevated blood pressure
- Increased body temperature
- Severe dental problems (meth mouth)
- Violent or aggressive behavior
- Extreme paranoia
- Hallucinations and delusions
- Psychosis
- Overdose
- Increased risk of kidney failure, stroke and heart attack
Methamphetamine Addiction Signs and Symptoms
- A person abusing methamphetamine may believe they're still in control over the usage. However, in reality there are some common signs and symptoms of addiction to watch for. These include:
- Intense cravings: The intensity of cravings to take more of the drug can be so overwhelming that some users will do almost anything to get more.
- Loss of control: The person no longer has control over the amount being taken or the frequency of use.
- Tolerance: As the brain tries to adapt to the presence of the drug in the system, the user feels the need to take higher doses to achieve the same ‘high' that used to be reached with smaller amounts.
- Dependency: Continued compulsive use of the drug, even despite negative consequences, it a clear sign that the person has become dependent on meth, or addicted.
Treating Meth Addiction
Treating meth addiction in Killeen begins with the detox process. It's strongly advised that the detox process is undertaken under medical supervision in drug rehab centers, as the person may be at risk of harming themselves or others around them.
Detox on its own only rids the body from the effects of the drug. It does nothing to address the person's psychological side of meth addiction recovery. Cognitive behavioral therapies are used to teach the recovering person effective new strategies for recognizing, avoiding and managing any situations where they are at risk of returning to a pattern of drug abuse.
Motivational incentives can also be effective for treating meth addiction in Killeen. The person receives incentives or rewards for modifying behaviors and remaining drug-free, which provides motivation to remain clean and sober. Call us now at (877) 804-1531.