People call it speed, crystal meth, glass, or ice. Outside of the vernacular, you know the drug as methamphetamine. It’s one of the most destructive substances on the black market. Here’s what you need to know about speed addiction.
How Do Users Take Meth?
Dealers typically sell speed as a white powder or pill. You can smoke it, snort the powder, inject it, or swallow the pill. It’s a quick-acting nervous system stimulant. Because the high leads to a rapid crash, people often use speed in binges, doing so over the course of several days.
What Does a Speed Addiction Feel Like?
Initially, the effects include a decrease in appetite and a boost of alertness. You like the way you feel. Therefore, you use more when the effects wear off.
In the process, you artificially increase the dopamine production in your brain. Due to this dopamine glut, you feel on top of the world. You don’t want this feeling to go away. A speed addiction isn’t far behind.
However, this cycle comes to a crashing halt during tweaking episodes. You’ve maximized the effectiveness of the drug on your system, and you can’t get high. There’s a very real danger of overdosing at this point. Besides that, the sudden increase of withdrawal symptoms can result in violent actions and severe mental disturbances.
Eventually, you’re using the drug not just for attempting to feel good but also for keeping withdrawal symptoms at bay. Examples include deep depression, tiredness, anxiety, and paranoia. You know that you can make these problems go away, for the most part, with another dose of speed. Because you remember the past highs, you keep chasing after them.
What Happens If You Do Nothing?
A speed addiction can kill you. The stress that you put on your system can lead to a stroke or heart attack. Psychotic symptoms might make you a danger to others, which can result in fatal police action. Finally, the depth of depression and the shutdown of your body can lead some users to attempt suicide.
The drug cravings don’t go away by themselves. Overcoming the depths of withdrawal symptoms is so severe that few can quit cold turkey. If you don’t do anything about the speed dependency, you’ll compromise your physiological and psychological health. Speed or meth detox, however, is the first step on the road to recovery.
How Detox Intervenes in the Cycle of Speed Abuse
Serenity House Detox & Recovery offers hope to people with a speed addiction. As is the case with the cocaine or heroin addiction treatment program, therapists customize care protocols. Besides that, they adjust the therapeutic interventions you receive as your needs change. Examples of treatment modalities include:
- Medical monitoring that ensures stabilizing your body as you undergo withdrawal
- Psychiatric care for symptoms such as depression or anxiety
- Cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps you choose healthy ways of thinking and acting
- Group therapy as a means of working with peers in recovery for addiction education and relapse prevention training
- Individual therapy sessions that assist with goal-setting for ongoing care and lifelong sobriety
- Men and women’s addiction detox sets the tone for a comfortable experience. The modalities build on your strengths. Furthermore, they challenge you in meaningful ways that help you to experience personal growth and healing.
Heal in Serene Surroundings
Many people with an addiction to speed make the mistake of checking into a bustling facility in the inner city. Don’t do that. You need a peaceful environment that encourages relaxation and rest. Most importantly, you need to be able to reduce the triggers and stress that create cravings for the drug.
In a comfortable luxury detox center, you can slow down and heal. You’re not dealing with an atmosphere that boosts your stress hormones. Instead, you’re recovering at a small facility with all the amenities. Spend time in the fresh air, take walks, enjoy quiet conversations, or just doze in the sunshine.
Overcome your speed addiction in this peaceful setting. When you contact Serenity House Detox & Recovery today, we’ll put you in touch with a caring intake specialist. Call 866-294-5306 now.