Methamphetamine

Meth quickly releases high levels of dopamine, a “feel good” natural brain chemical in the pleasure and reward areas of the brain. This "teaches" the brain to keep taking the drug.

Because the high starts quickly and fades quickly, people often take it again and again in a "binge and crash" pattern. When you stop taking meth, withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, extreme tiredness, severe depression, and intense drug cravings start. This is the cycle of addiction: the high, crash, and craving.

Short term effects

Meth produces a very fast high. You feel hyper-alert, excited and intense pleasure. But it also produces some risky changes in your body including irregular heart rate, rapid breathing and dangerous spikes in blood pressure. Because meth’s “high” can disappear quickly, people often use more and more, sometimes over several days, without sleeping or eating.

The Foundation for a Drug-Free World describes the meth experience in 7 clear stages:

• The Rush:  the initial high can continue for up to 30 minutes
• The High:  this stage can last from 4-16 hours
• The Binge:  staying high by using more meth. This can last 3-15 days where you feel over-excited mentally and physically. But each time you use meth you get a smaller rush and finally there is no rush or high at all.
• Tweaking:  at this point you can’t experience a high and are in intense distress and craving
• The Crash:  your body shuts down and you sleep for 1-3 days
• The Hangover:  a seriously weakened state – your body is starved and dehydrated and you feel completely exhausted physically, mentally and emotionally
• Withdrawal:  a very painful and difficult stage causing you to feel depressed, exhausted and unable to feel pleasure along with very strong cravings.

Click here to watch this short video on crystal meth:  The Truth About Crystal Meth

Long term effects

Long term meth use creates many problems, including addiction. Using it regularly produces “tolerance” - so you need to take higher doses more often or change the way you take it to get the high you want. You may even have a hard time feeling pleasure from anything else but the drug.

When you stop using it you can get severe withdrawal symptoms including deep sadness, anxiety, exhaustion and strong and painful cravings.

If you use meth long enough you can develop intense anxiety, confusion, sleeplessness, mood swings, and violent behavior. You may have serious symptoms such as paranoia, hallucinations, and delusions. These can sometimes last for months or years after quitting and can happen again if you’re under stress.

When used in larger doses, meth can cause dangerously high body temperature, convulsions, and even death. It can lead to abnormal heart rhythm and changes in the heart muscle. Heart attacks and heart failure are the second-leading cause of death in meth abusers - the first is accidental overdose. Over time it causes physical changes that you can see, such as weight loss, severe tooth decay, tooth loss (called "meth mouth"), and skin sores.

The destructive effects of meth are caused by changes to the brain and nervous system that happen with long term use.

Screening Tools – Do I have a problem?

Meth causes changes in the brain that can lead to compulsive drug use. You can become dependent on it both physically and emotionally and it can take over your life.

Signs of meth addiction include:

• Thinking about it all the time, craving it, finding it hard to stop, or not being able to stop at all.
• Getting and using meth becomes a major focus in your life so that work, school, family and friends take a back seat.
• Planning your life around using meth and not doing the things you once liked
• Feeling seriously depressed and anxious when you are not taking the drug

Screening tools help you see whether using meth is damaging your health and your life. You can take them in your home or wherever you feel comfortable. They are private and you can see your score right away.

DAST Drug Abuse Screening Test

This 10-question screening lets you assess your drug use. A score between 3 and 10 indicates a moderate to severe level of drug abuse.

Understanding different treatment choices is an important step. It can help you see a path ahead to staying drug-free and learning new skills to live a sober life. You may need different kinds of treatment and support at different stages of recovery. There are many tools to help you each step of the way.

Our TREATMENTS section describes different approaches so you can find the help that best meets your needs.

Our PROGRAMS & SUPPORT section covers many ways to help you grow and heal throughout your recovery.

To learn more about ways to treat drug addiction visit the National Institute on Drug Abuse website.

MEDICAL DETOX

The first step in meth treatment is often detox. This is the time when your body is getting used to being without the drug. Detox helps you get through the most intense stages of withdrawal. Done under medical supervision, a detox facility can give you medications to help with pain or anxiety.

A thorough meth detox takes 7-10 days and happens in two stages. The most intense phase is in the first 24 hours after last using meth. After that withdrawal symptoms slowly get milder over the next week.

BEHAVIORAL THERAPIES

In general, short-term counseling such as CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) is the most useful treatment for meth addiction. It helps you become aware of situations likely to trigger drug use - and gives you tools to make changes, help you cope and stay drug-free.

Another approach, Motivational Incentives for Enhancing Drug Abuse Recovery (MIEDAR), uses rewards such as gift cards and prizes when goals are met and you don’t use drugs. This can help you stay in counseling so you are drug free longer.

IN-PATIENT AND OUT-PATIENT CARE

In-patient care may be needed in severe cases of meth abuse that has been going on for a long time.

Out-patient care in the first several months of getting off meth can help with early recovery issues and is a good thing to consider. These structured programs may help you stay in treatment longer which increases your chances for success.

Although there are no specific medications to treat meth addiction, other medications can help to:  

• Decrease craving
• Ease withdrawal symptoms
• Decrease meth drug seeking and use
• Improve sleep, energy and focus
• Stabilize mood

Do They Work?

Modafinil, bupropion and naltrexone show positive results. 

• Modafinil helps treat mood changes from meth withdrawal and ease withdrawal symptoms. It may also decrease cravings and the need to seek out the drug.
• Bupropion may help men with low to moderate meth dependence stay drug-free longer.
• Naltrexone may reduce meth use and increase abstinence.
• Combined naltrexone plus bupropion (extended-release injectable naltrexone plus extended-release oral bupropion) is a promising treatment to reduce meth use but more study is needed.
• Methylphenidate and d-amphetamine show promise as substitution therapies (like methadone replacing heroin or nicotine gum for smoking). They lessen withdrawal symptoms and help people stay in treatment in longer.

Bupropion (Wellbutrin)

What it does:  This antidepressant treats depression and nicotine dependence. It may also help treat low level dependence on meth.

How it works:  Bupropion increases the natural brain chemicals dopamine and norepinephrine. Dopamine improves mood and norepinephrine improves mental clarity and focus.

Side effects:  Dry mouth, headache, nausea and vomiting, dizziness. In early treatment, you may experience agitation, restlessness, and insomnia. It is better not to take it at bedtime which may help improve sleep.

For a more complete list of side effects visit this NIH page.

Availability:  Physician prescription

For more information on Bupropion click here.

d‐amphetamine and methylphenidate

What it does:  These central nervous system stimulants increases alertness, attention, energy, and physical activity. They are usually used to treat extreme sleepiness from a sleep disorder called narcolepsy or symptoms of ADHD (attention deficit disorder).

How it works:  Dopamine is a natural brain chemical associated with pleasure, movement, and attention. Meth increases dopamine rapidly and intensely, producing euphoria and addiction. These stimulant medications increase dopamine slowly and steadily, similar to the way dopamine is naturally produced in the brain. Because of this they may be able to act as a potential substitute treatment for meth addiction.

Side effects:  headache, dry mouth, constipation, weight loss, dizziness, nervousness, nausea

For a more complete list of side effects visit these NIH pages: methylphenidate and d-amphetamine.

Availability:  Physician prescription

For more information on d-amphetamine click here

For more information on methylphenidate click here

GAMMA-VINYL-GABA (GVG) or VIGABATRIN (Sabril®)

What it does:  These anticonvulsant drugs are used to control seizures. They may also reduce cravings for meth and other drugs.

How it works:  Increases the amount of the natural chemical GABA in the brain, which lowers dopamine production. An appropriate dose of vigabatrin taken before exposure to nicotine, cocaine, meth or inhalants can block their effects on the brain.

Side effects:  Sleepiness, dizziness, weakness, muscle pain, weight gain and shaking.

For a more complete list of side effects visit this NIH page.

Availability:  Physician prescription

For more information on Vigabatrin click here.

Mirtazapine (Remeron)

What it does:  An antidepressant found to decrease meth use. It helps calm cravings and reduces drug-seeking.

How it works:  Helps release several natural brain chemicals including norepinephrine, serotonin and dopamine that are involved in mood.

Side effects:  drowsiness, dizziness, anxiousness, confusion, increased weight and appetite

For a more complete list of side effects visit this NIH page.

Availability:  Physician prescription

For more information on Mirtazapine click here.

Modafinil (Provigil®)

What it does:  Modafinil promotes wakefulness. It may help ease withdrawal from meth and improve sleep, concentration and energy levels.

How it works:  Changes the amounts of certain natural chemicals in the brain that control sleep and wakefulness. It may act as a stimulant which can decrease craving and meth seeking and improve mood. Its effects are long-lasting and continue for as long as four months after treatment.

Side effects:  Headache, dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, constipation and heartburn

For a more complete list of side effects visit this NIH page.

Availability:  Physician prescription

For more information on Modafinil click here.

Naltrexone

What it does:  Blocks opioid receptors in the brain from being turned on. Instead of controlling withdrawal and cravings, it prevents a drug from producing a high.

How it works:  Blocks the part of your brain that feels pleasure when taking meth so you don’t feel the rush or high.  It significantly reduces cravings by reducing meth’s rewarding effects and making it less pleasurable.

Side effects:  Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, headache, dizziness.

For a more complete list of side effects visit this NIH page.

Availability:  Physician prescription

For more information on Naltrexone click here.

Researchers continue to work on developing medications and new treatments for meth addiction, including vaccines and stimulation of the brain using magnetic fields (called Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation).

Our TREATMENT section has a broad range of recovery options to help you find treatments that best meet your needs. Also see our PROGRAMS & SUPPORT section for ongoing ways to support your recovery.

TOPIRAMATE

What it does:  Topiramate is an anticonvulsant medication. When used in recovery, it may ease anxiety and agitation and help reduce cravings.

How it works:  It decreases abnormal excitement in the brain. By reducing levels of the natural brain chemical dopamine which creates the feelings of pleasure and reward that people get from drugs, it may help reset the brain's chemistry

Side effects:  Numbness and tingling in the hands and feet, difficulty concentrating, nervousness, headache, drowsiness and mood swings.

For a more complete list of side effects visit this NIH page.

Availability:  Physician prescription

For more information on Topiramate click here.

Researchers continue to work on developing medications and new treatments for meth addiction, including vaccines and stimulation of the brain using magnetic fields (called Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation).

12-STEP PROGRAMS

Twelve-step programs are an important part of recovery. With addiction you may become isolated - and grow more interested in using meth than connecting with your friends and family. That’s why the help of others is vital for healing.

These programs are based on a set of guiding principles and the support of people who share their experiences of stopping drug use and staying drug-free. People recovering from many types of addiction can join a 12-step program.

Non 12-STEP RECOVERY GROUPS

These self-help support groups give you tools to change the harmful thoughts that underlie addiction. The focus is on finding strength and self-control within yourself. There are in-person meetings with peers, daily online meetings, chat rooms and message boards.

FAITH-BASED PROGRAMS

These programs approach recovery through various religious traditions including Christian, Jewish, Islamic and Buddhist.

A faith-based recovery program understands that addiction and substance use is not just a physical problem – it reflects the spiritual and emotional suffering of an individual. These recovery programs seek to restore each person’s well-being through guidance and spiritual support, and encourages them to transform their lives totally.

To learn more about the different religious-based programs see our PROGRAMS & SUPPORT section.

Apps

Mobile apps give you another tool to support your recovery. They offer practical support that is affordable, private and always available.

Apps can track sober time, help you manage triggers and emotions, find and share meetings, contact your sponsor discretely, keep you motivated, connect you with a recovery community, and more.

Many good apps are available for both the iPhone/iPad and Google Android phones. Of note, it is estimated that 7 out of 10 free apps use ads. This can be distracting and because ads use data they can cost you money in the long run. Many apps offer a premium version as an in-app purchase which has extra useful features and usually no ads. You can try out the free version of the app and upgrade to premium if it is helping you.

BUILD A SOBER NETWORK

Connecting with people socially who are also working on their sobriety for support, sharing and encouragement. Staying connected is a vital part of recovery so you don’t become isolated. Support helps you heal.

ONLINE MEETING AND CHAT ROOMS

A chat room lets you communicate in real time on the Internet. Everyone who is logged in sees what you are typing, but two people can still have a private chat on the side. People from any location can join in, making them an ideal format for groups of people.

Chat meetings are chat rooms with a chairperson who introduces topics for people to address. Chat meetings are scheduled in advance for a specific period of time.

Twelve-step online meetings usually use Zoom. The group sets them up, gets a meeting code and password and sends the information to all members of the group. Or the group sends the information to Central Office, who post the info online.

HOLISTIC APPROACHES

Holistic therapies can help you cope with early symptoms in recovery and throughout the recovery process. They support you on many levels to allow deep healing.

Over time you can build better health, inner calm and strength – so you can think more clearly and focus on what is best for you. You may also find it easier to connect with others, your deeper self or to something greater than yourself, however you define that.

For those in recovery, holistic approaches work best when they are part of professional treatment and they are often part of addiction recovery programs. Studies show that success rates improve strongly when holistic approaches are included in treatment.

• Practices such as yoga, meditation and exercise help reduce stress and ease withdrawal symptoms. This makes it easier to cope with emotions tied to drug use and lowers the risk of relapse.
• Through mindful awareness you begin to notice your thoughts and feelings but not react to them in the usual way. You learn how to focus on the present, stay centered and keep your mood steady. This helps you become aware of your cravings and triggers without being overwhelmed by them.
• Approaches such as deep breathing, hypnotherapy, guided imagery and relaxation are simple to learn and can support you any time you need help.
• The arts, such as music, painting, writing, drumming, crafts and dance, are healthy ways to recognize and express the emotions that often feed substance use. Even sharing your thoughts and feelings with others in recovery can help you build trust and feel less alone.
• Therapies such as acupuncture and massage can help rebalance your body, reduce anxiety, treat withdrawal symptoms, and improve your energy and mood.

Part of a holistic approach also includes being in nature. Finding a safe, quiet and natural place can refresh the soul and provide the space to explore whatever form of spirituality moves you.

To learn more about specific holistic therapies and their place in recovery visit our Holistic Support section.

SOBER LIVING HOMES

Sober homes are designed to provide safe and supportive group living for people recovering from addiction. They are based on peer support, daily structure and learning new life skills in a setting that is drug free. They serve as a transition between treatment and return to normal life.

Thousands of sober homes exist in the U.S. and there are many different types. At a minimum, they offer peer-to-peer recovery support while others have professional health services that help with long-term recovery. There are residences for specific populations such as by language spoken, male or female, women with children, by age, co-occurring problems, medication status, and prison re-entry.

See our SOBER HOUSING section for help in finding sober living homes near you and across the country.