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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT METH WITHDRAWAL

Men's Health, Mental Health, Women's Health / By

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT METH WITHDRAWAL

  • Withdrawal from something you are addicted to is never simple.
  • It can prove to be a fairly long and arduous process, and methamphetamine withdrawal is no different.
  • Withdrawal often shows a specific set of symptoms, both physical and mental, that appear a day or more after the drug use and then gradually wear off as the body gets used to living without the drug.
  • Physical symptoms tend to go first, while psychological symptoms, such as psychosis or depression, tend to stay much longer.
  • Crystal meth withdrawal symptoms begin to show up 24 hours after drug use, with the symptoms becoming severe with time.
  • However, the symptoms go away with time similar to withdrawal symptoms for other drugs.
    Let’s look at meth withdrawal in detail:

Severity and Duration

Meth withdrawal occurs in two phases.

The first phase shows up 24 hours after the last use of the drug and results in intense symptoms that ease over the coming week.

  • The intensity of the symptoms depends on various factors, such as how dependent a person is on the meth, as well as how long and how frequent their meth use is.
  • There is often a “subacute” phase that lasts a further two or three weeks.
    The second phase of regular meth withdrawal causes less intense symptoms but lasts for two to three weeks.
  • However, meth users can also experience withdrawal symptoms for several months – which is called post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS).
    Other factors that affect the severity and duration of meth withdrawal symptoms are:
  1. The quality and purity of the meth
  2. The mental and physical health before drug use
  3. History of other drug use, such as alcohol

Signs and Symptoms

  • Symptoms of meth withdrawal vary between people, but there are still quite a few common symptoms.
  • Anxiety is a very common symptom. It shows up within 24 hours and can last for a fairly long time.
  • Feeling tired and sleepy is another common symptom of meth withdrawal.
  • Meth uses causes hyperactivity, and the exact same symptoms appear during withdrawal.
  • Depression is quite common in meth withdrawal, causing moodiness. However, it tends to go away by the third week.
  • Meth withdrawal causes sensory, visual, and auditory hallucinations which are signs of psychosis.
  • A vigorous appetite and constant meth craving round-up common meth symptoms.

How to Deal with Meth Withdrawal

Meth withdrawal can be quite difficult to deal with, especially during the first week, but you can make it easier to cope by:

  1. Exercising regularly helps deal with anxiety.
  2. Distracting yourself through hobbies and work can help take your mind off the craving.
  3. Trying to avoid triggers that amplify your craving.
  4. Eating healthy, which helps you stay fresh while avoiding eating too much to replace your meth craving.
  • You might have to go for long-term treatments such as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) or contingency management, along with counseling, in case you find it hard to deal with the addiction.