The right type of treatment and care can be difficult to find. If you’re looking for a meth rehab center in Portland, Maine, reach out to Casco Bay Recovery. Contact our team online or call us and ask us about our meth rehab programs and services.
Why Meth Addiction Is So Dangerous
Methamphetamine is a powerful and very addictive stimulant. When people take it, the drug affects their central nervous systems (CNS). Meth is typically in the form of an odorless white powder with a bitter taste that dissolves easily in alcohol or water.
This Schedule II drug was developed early in the 20th century from amphetamine, which was originally used in bronchial inhalers and nasal decongestants. Like amphetamine, meth causes increased talkativeness and activity, appetite loss, and a pleasurable euphoria.
However, methamphetamine is more harmful and has longer-lasting effects on the CNS. In the medical field, meth can technically be used to help treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or as a weight-loss treatment, but it is very rarely prescribed.
What Are the Signs of a Meth Addiction?
Meth deeply affects both the body and the brain. Warning signs of addiction to meth are visible in many ways. For example, many people with substance use disorders may experience a sudden loss of interest in previously important career goals, hobbies, relationships, and responsibilities. Initially, people may attempt to hide their substance use, but the longer that people suffer from addiction to a substance, the more prominent it becomes in their lives.
Methamphetamine use, in particular, can chemically alter how someone thinks and feels, which can make what was once a recreational drug activity seem like a major life priority. Other signs of meth use you can watch out for include:
- Agitation and hyperactivity
- Burns, particularly on the fingers or lips
- Changes in sleeping pattern
- Dilated pupils and rapid eye movement
- Mood swings and paranoia
- Reduced appetite and extreme weight loss
- Rotting teeth and skin sores
- Twitching, facial tics, and other jerky movements
You may also observe tweaking in a person with a meth addiction. This is when a person goes through a period of insomnia and anxiety that can last between three days to two weeks. Tweaking occurs at the end of a meth binge, and going through it can cause psychological side effects such as paranoia and confusion. It can also cause people that are addicted to meth to hallucinate or become prone to violent behavior.
People with meth addictions will also go through observable crash phases if they don’t hide away when it happens. At these times, their bodies are deprived of the dopamine from meth. They will be exhausted and depressed, craving more meth, and will sleep for long periods—this behavior can last for up to three days.
Treatment for Meth Addiction
Some of the most general forms of meth addiction treatment include the following:
- Residential treatment
- Outpatient treatment
- Medically assisted detox
- Substance abuse counseling
When it comes to meth addiction, there’s no cookie-cutter solution. Those who suffer from a substance use disorder require treatment that will fit their needs the best way. Recovery depends on a few different factors. These may include age, the severity of addiction, doctor recommendations, and gender (in some circumstances, religious beliefs could play a role).
Inpatient Rehab for Meth Addiction
Residential treatment is typically meant for those who suffer from more severe forms of substance use disorders. This method of care lasts somewhere between 28 days and six months. Again, it all depends on the severity of a person’s meth addiction. With residential care, patients will be monitored 24/7 by professional medical personnel.
In addition to this, they will have therapy sessions and other kinds of care throughout the week. Not only that, but meals are provided for them as well as places to sleep. This form of treatment goes a long way in helping those who suffer from severe forms of meth addiction.
Outpatient Rehab for Meth Addiction
Outpatient treatment is a method of care that offers people the convenience of their day-to-day lives while being treated. When an individual participates in outpatient rehab, he or she is able to work should he or she need to maintain that responsibility. Outpatient care allows individuals to receive the treatment that they need without interrupting the flow of their daily lives.
Outpatient meth rehab is mostly intended for those who suffer from milder meth addictions. It’s also good for those who are leaving residential rehab and need to transition between the rehab facility and the outside world.
Outpatient forms of meth rehab could last anywhere between 3 months to over a year. It consists of weekly therapy and any other sort of care that may be a part of one’s individualized needs.
Detox for Meth Addiction
When coming off of drugs, impending withdrawal symptoms are a harsh reality to face. It affects every aspect of a person’s life. Not only that, but a person suffering from drug or alcohol withdrawal without being treated professionally is at risk for relapse. This is why medically-assisted detox is imperative to the recovery process.
Medically-assisted treatment helps individuals by weaning them off of substances gradually as they manage withdrawal. This is done by treating the symptoms of withdrawal while ceasing usage. At Casco Bay, this method of care is overseen by medical professionals.
Some symptoms of meth withdrawal may include the following:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Chills
- Fever
- Headaches
- Migraine
- Dizziness
- Seizures
- Sweating
- Vertigo
- Hunger
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Mood swings
- Suicidal thoughts
- Feelings of depression
- Feelings of anxiety
Therapy
Therapy is a method of care where those with meth addictions who are struggling with something mentally see mental health professionals to heal. This form of treatment can be used to help treat depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and all other mental health disorders and substance use disorders. Those who aren’t struggling with a disorder can also get therapy to keep themselves aligned mentally.
There are many ways that therapy can be done in regards to its structure. Some of these include the following:
The results of therapy, no matter what form it may take, can have an incredible impact on a person’s life. Everything we do at Casco Bay is to help those struggling with addictions to substances, such as meth, achieve recovery.
Recovering from substance addiction and walking a path of sobriety may seem intimidating, but it is achievable. Trusting the process is a big part of it.
Over the years, therapy has been stigmatized by the mainstream media and zeitgeist of those who prefer to “tough it out.” It may seem embarrassing or like an invasion of personal space, but therapy is well worth it for those who need it. Once somebody can see that and start trusting the therapeutic process, he or she will likely soar.
Individual Therapy
Individual therapy is a form of care in which someone spends time in a private environment with a mental health professional. This allows a person to keep his or her personal life protected from those that can’t be trusted in group settings. Individual therapy also helps mental health professionals monitor their patients more closely. Individual growth is much more visible in the arena of individual therapy.
Group Therapy
Group therapy is a kind of therapy that involves more than one patient participating. In group therapy sessions, patients meet and take turns sharing their thoughts, life updates, emotions, and experiences with substance abuse. People in group therapy also share their current struggles with one another.
Group therapy is typically Socratic in form, allowing for those who participate to listen and understand each other. This helps make everybody aware that they’re not alone in their struggles.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy ultimately helps individuals find new and healthier ways to cope with substance use disorders. CBT aims to uncover why a person acts the way that he or she does. Over time, those who participate in CBT learn to recognize their behaviors and adjust them to be more beneficial rather than detrimental.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) is a kind of cognitive-behavioral therapy that addresses personality disorders. The goal of DBT is to analyze people’s behaviors to understand why they act the way that they do. DBT also hopes to help people accept their negative thoughts and feelings so that they don’t have power over them anymore. This helps mental health professionals determine the best way to treat their patients.
In time, those who participate in DBT will gain the following:
- Skills training
- Individualized therapy
- Team consultation
What Can You Expect from Our Meth Rehab Center?
There are plenty of resources available to help those suffering from substance use disorders. At Casco Bay Recovery, we offer personalized treatment plans to every client in our meth rehab programs. Addiction treatment in the form of counseling and therapy can help you work through the underlying causes of addiction and build the healthy coping skills you need for lifelong recovery.
Our addiction treatment programs address not only meth usage itself, but also the psychological damage done by meth addiction. They will also teach those in recovery how to resist temptation and maintain their sobriety.
Learn About Casco Bay Recovery’s Programs for Meth Addiction Treatment in Portland, Maine
Looking for a meth rehab center in Portland, Maine? Contact Casco Bay Recovery’s team online or call us today.