Types of Crystal Meth Addiction Treatment
Crystal meth is a highly addictive, stimulant drug. Those who become addicted to it often require treatment, as its effects are not easily fought alone. There are different types of crystal meth addiction treatment, and a person should choose the treatment plan that best fits them.
Inpatient vs. Outpatient Treatment
Inpatient rehab may be necessary for someone who was addicted to crystal meth. The drug is highly potent and causes extreme withdrawal symptoms like severe depression “anxiety, fatigue, paranoia, aggression, and intense cravings for the drug” (CESAR). Although the high psychiatric severity that sometimes accompanies crystal meth withdrawal and addiction can make outpatient treatment tricky, patients must be able to have a treatment plan that is most effective for them.
There are those who would do well in outpatient treatment for crystal meth addiction. As a study from the NCBI states, “patients with… a good social support system may do well as outpatients without incurring the higher costs of inpatient treatment.” Depending on the patient and their needs, inpatient or outpatient treatment may be more suitable.
Therapies
Counseling is a major part of meth addiction recovery.
There are no specific medications available for those who are addicted to crystal meth, just like those who have issues with cocaine abuse and addiction. Therefore, “the most effective treatments for methamphetamine addiction at this point are behavioral therapies” (NIDA). Some of the behavioral treatments which have been found to be effective for crystal meth addicts are:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- CBT helps patients “recognize, avoid, and cope with the situations in which they are most likely to abuse drugs” and to change the way they think about their drug abuse (NIDA).
- Contingency management
- Contingency management uses the help of positive reinforcement in order to encourage abstinence. Those who are under this particular type of therapy might receive rewards for staying sober, which can be highly effective for stimulant abusers.
- Motivational Incentives for Enhancing Drug Abuse Recovery (MIEDAR) is “an incentivebased method for promoting cocaine and methamphetamine abstinence.”
While therapies are currently the best treatment option available for crystal meth addicts, there is work being done to create medication-based treatments that will be beneficial to meth recovery.
Specific Treatment Centers
Centers that are geared to certain individuals, especially meth addicts specifically, can be very beneficial to those who abuse the drug. Many treatment centers are also geared to specific groups of meth addicts including:
- Women
- Teens
- Members of the LGBT community
If you believe you would benefit from one of these types of centers, search for a specific one in an Internet treatment center database or by using SAMHSA‘s treatment locator.
Those who require crystal methamphetamine treatment, like all other drug addicts who seek help, should consider all of their needs before creating a treatment plan. Do you need residential, 24-hour care or do you need to be home every night? Will one type of therapy benefit you the most? Recovering addicts should also be encouraged to change their treatment plan once it becomes obsolete or less effective to another which better fits their changing needs. While crystal meth recovery is not an easy process, there are many helpful treatments and programs which can be helpful to a person during this difficult time.
