Month: January 2021

Categories
Heroin Addiction

What Is Heroin Addiction?

Heroin is a class of opioids with origin from morphine. Its mode of consumption often includes sniffing, snorting, smoking, and injecting. Heroin addiction is a disorder that includes mental and behavioural changes as a result of excess heroin use.

Heroin is one of the swiftest acting and commonly abused substances of opiates. According to scientists, we can classify heroin as a semi-synthetic opioid derived from poppy plant extracts.

Often, heroin use starts with the casual misuse of a prescribed opioid. A person may then switch to heroin because of its lower cost, despite the greater danger of using it.

Someone who uses heroin regularly will end up needing more doses daily to attain the same effect. This is known as tolerance. Also, using this drug often means you’ll need more quantity for your body to function properly. This is known as physical dependence.

Heroin abuse can be difficult to talk about, even with a loved one. Individuals who experience addiction aren’t always honest about their drug abuse. Most may not be aware of how far things have gone out of control. Though it may be difficult, having a conversation about heroin addiction can potentially save your life.

If you or someone you care about is battling heroin addiction, pay close attention to their lifestyle, habits, and characteristics. This may help you uncover the truth and understand the depth of the problem.

Identifying the symptoms of heroin addiction is a significant first step toward a better healthy lifestyle. Here, we’ve put together everything you need to know about heroin addiction; the symptoms, and treatment options.

What is Heroin?

Heroin is an opioid drug made from naturally-occurring morphine taken from the seed pod of several opium poppy plants. These plants are often grown in areas like Southwest Asia, Southeast, Colombia and Mexico. Heroin can come in the form of a brown or white powder, or a black sticky form known as black tar heroin. Other popular names for heroin include smack, horse, hell dust, big H, etc.

Furthermore, pure heroin is a white powder with a bitter taste that widely originates in South America, and dominates the North American markets. It also extends to some extent, Southeast Asia and markets east of the Mississippi River. Highly pure heroin can be snorted or smoked and is typically more appealing to new users. This is because it alleviates the stigma relating to injection drug use.

Also, the Black tar heroin is considered sticky because it’s hard like coal and looks like the roofing tar. This type of heroin is popularly produced in Mexico and sold in the U.S. areas around the west of the Mississippi River.

The dark colour of black tar heroin results from its crude processing methods. As a result, it may contain impurities. Impure heroin is often dissolved, diluted, and injected into muscles, under the skin, or veins.

What does heroin look like?

In its pure form, heroin is a fine white powder that is bitter to taste and readily dissolves in water. In the streets, the colour of heroin varies according to the additives.

Substances like sugar and powdered milk are added to increase its street weight and boost retail sales. In recent times, fentanyl as an additive can increase heroin’s potency. According to the CDC, fentanyl is one hundred times more deadly than morphine.

How Does Heroin Make You Feel?

There are several ways to use heroin. Injections, for instance, offers a more immediate feeling, unlike other methods. Some of the other ways people use heroin include:

  • Injecting into a vein, muscle or under the skin
  • Snorting or sniffing
  • Smoking or inhaling through a straw (also known as chasing the dragon). This is a process of systematically heating the substance on an aluminum foil and inhaling the vapours through a tube.

However, the choice of how to use heroin depends mostly on the purity of the drug and the preferences of the user. When you consume heroin, it forces your brain to produce dopamine — the feel-good hormone. However, this forcefully generated dopamine also creates some general effects on the body.

Generally, when heroin enters your brain, it sticks to molecules on cells known as opioid receptors. These receptors are found in several parts of the body and brain. Most especially areas involved in the perception of pressure and pain. Also, this may include the part of the brain that regulates breathing.

If you’re a new user, you may experience the general heroin side effects like vomiting and nausea. However, the desired effects involve detachment from emotional and physical well-being, feelings and pains. Other effects consist of slow breathing, sweating, itchiness, and pinpoint pupils. Regular usage results in loss of libido and sexual interest missed or irregular periods in women, and constipation.

In general, the way heroin affects you usually depends on several factors, including:

  • How often you consume heroin and the quantity
  • Your age
  • Your environment
  • Whether or not you’re using it with other substances including alcohol
  • How long you’ve been using the drug
  • Your method of consumption

What Happens During Heroin Addiction?

Essentially, symptoms of heroin addiction can appear immediately after last use or between six 6 to 30 hours later. However, this may vary depending on how long you’ve been taking the drug. Furthermore, you may experience prolonged symptoms even after 72 hours of your last dose. These symptoms can extend up to a week, depending on your level of addiction.

Additionally, the symptoms you’ll experience often depend on the addiction level you’re experiencing. Also, several factors may dictate the timeline at which you’ll go through the heroin addiction symptoms. This is why everyone experiences addiction symptoms differently. Notwithstanding, there’s usually a timeline for work progression and symptoms.

The Physical Symptoms of Heroin Addiction

Early signs of heroin addiction usually start between the first 24 hours after quitting the usage. The symptoms include:

  • Dry mouth
  • Flushed skin
  • Constricted pupils
  • Slow breathing
  • Falling asleep suddenly
  • Vomiting
  • Itching
  • Loss of self-control
  • Nausea
  • Constipation
  • Slurred speech
  • Yawning often, etc.

Other Symptoms of Heroin Addiction

Other symptoms, which can be more intense, start after the first day or beyond. They include:

  • Behavioural changes, like sudden aggression or secrecy
  • Money issues, such as missing money or needing more and more money without any logical reason
  • Problems at school or work
  • Changes in appearance or decline in personal hygiene
  • Confused thinking or disorientation
  • Feelings of heaviness
  • Difficulty making decisions
  • Memory loss

Individuals who use heroin regularly usually need stool or laxatives softeners because the drug can cause constipation.

Related Article: The Long Term Effects of Heroin Abuse

Heroin Addiction: The Side Effects of Heroin

Heroin users have described the drug’s high as intense. When someone injects heroin, they often experience a “rush” from the drug reaching the brain so quickly.

The rush from intravenous heroin use lasts about two minutes. In terms of pleasure, intravenous users have likened the rush to an orgasm. As heroin travels through the bloodstream, the high lasts for four to five hours.

The effects of heroin can seem harmless to those who are experimenting with the drug. Although it may produce some dizziness and drowsiness, these effects feel enjoyable. Unlike substances such as alcohol or ecstasy, there generally isn’t a hangover or comedown from initial heroin use, which is an attractive benefit to new users.

What may seem like “harmless” or occasional heroin use often devolves into heroin addiction because tolerance builds quickly. Eventually, the user cannot feel normal without taking the drug because their brain cannot produce natural amounts of dopamine on its own.

As the user increases their doses, they are at a greater risk of a fatal heroin overdose. At this point, it’s best to undergo heroin detox and addiction treatment in a controlled, medical facility.

Short-term Side Effects of Heroin Addiction

Soon after injection or inhalation, heroin crosses the blood-brain barrier. In the brain, heroin is converted to morphine and binds rapidly to opioid receptors. Abusers typically report feeling a surge of pleasurable sensation, a “rush.” The intensity of the rush is a function of how much drug is taken and how rapidly the drug enters the brain and binds to natural opioid receptors.

Heroin is particularly addictive because it enters the brain so rapidly. With heroin, the rush is usually accompanied by a warm flushing of the skin, dry mouth, and a heavy feeling in the extremities, which may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and severe itching.

After the initial effects, abusers will be drowsy for several hours. Mental function is clouded by heroin’s effect on the central nervous system. Cardiac function may also slow.

Breathing is also severely slowed, sometimes to the point of death. Heroin overdose is a particular risk on the street, where it is impossible to gauge the purity of the drug.

Long-term Side Effects of Heroin Addiction

If you indulge in using heroin over the long-term, you may develop a tolerance to it. Essentially, tolerance means you will always need to increase your doses to attain the necessary pain relief you want. These long-term effects are mostly harmful, especially at the point of extreme usage.

One of the most detrimental long-term effects of heroin is addiction itself. Addiction is a chronic, relapsing disease, characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, and by neurochemical and molecular changes in the brain. Heroin also produces profound degrees of tolerance and physical dependence, which are also powerful motivating factors for compulsive use and abuse.

As with abusers of any addictive drug, heroin abusers gradually spend more time and energy obtaining, as well as, using the drug. Once they are addicted, the heroin abusers’ primary purpose in life becomes seeking and using drugs. The drugs literally change the way you think.

Physical dependence develops with higher doses of the drug. With physical dependence, the

body adapts to the presence of the drug and withdrawal symptoms occur if use is reduced abruptly. Withdrawal may occur within a few hours after the last use.

Symptoms of withdrawal include:

  • Restlessness
  • Muscle
  • Bone pain
  • Insomnia
  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting
  • Cold flashes with goosebumps (“cold turkey”)
  • Leg movements.

Major withdrawal symptoms peak between 24 and 48 hours after the last dose of heroin and subside after about a week. However, it is also possible to experience persistent heroin withdrawal symptoms for many months. Heroin withdrawal is never fatal to otherwise healthy adults. However, it can cause death to the fetus of a pregnant addict.

At some point during continuous heroin use, a person can become addicted to the drug. Sometimes addicted individuals will endure many of the withdrawal symptoms to reduce their tolerance for the drug so they can again experience the rush.

Physical dependence and the emergence of withdrawal symptoms were once believed to be the key features of heroin addiction. We now know this may not be the case entirely, since craving and relapse can occur weeks and months after withdrawal symptoms are long gone.

We also know that patients with chronic pain who need opiates to function (sometimes over extended periods) have few if any problems leaving opiates after their pain is resolved by other means.

Some of the long-term side effects of heroin addiction include:

  • Insomnia
  • Skin infections like cellulitis and abscesses
  • Collapsed veins
  • A higher chance of getting Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
  • Mental disorders
  • Kidney and liver disease
  • Lung diseases like pneumonia and tuberculosis
  • Menstrual problems and miscarriage, etc.

Heroin Addiction Treatment and Recovery

Generally, heroin addiction treatment includes altering deeply rooted behaviours. It involves therapy sessions to find out the behavioural triggers that lead up to heroin abuse.

There’s also the need for medical detox and treatment to help you back to full health. Depending on your unique heroin addiction treatment needs, your treatment expert may recommend any of the following:

In-patient treatment

In-patient therapy is a type of treatment where you reside at the treatment centre. In-patient treatment is often helpful for people suffering from severe addiction. Also, it’s useful for those who struggle with specific challenges of mental wellbeing.

Undertaking your recovery in a rehab centre helps you avoid influences and temptations that provoke daily heroin abuse. Typically, living in a serene environment will aid your recovery faster.

Licensed in-patient rehab facilities often provide 24-hour intensive care and support. They also combine 3 stages of recovery into their rehab programs, i.e. growth, reflection, and detox. In-patient facilities focus on teaching you how to adopt a substance-free lifestyle and maintain sobriety. This plan typically involves a step-down method to help your transition from in-patient care to group counselling or behavioural therapies.

Group therapy

Group therapy is a specific form of counselling used to treat psychological disorders, including heroin abuse and addiction. Typically, it involves regular sessions where therapists work with several individuals receiving treatment for the same health issue.

Individuals who participate in a therapy group usually take turns to share their feelings, struggles, goals, and experiences. Sometimes, therapy groups may focus solely on a specific recovery topic. Examples include recognizing and avoiding triggers, handling complicated family, peer, work, or other interpersonal relationships.

One of the most significant benefits of group therapy for addiction recovery is that groups give you the ability to bond with others. It also gives you an avenue to build a support system to connect with once you leave treatment.

Behavioural therapy

Several effective behavioural therapies for heroin addiction are available for both residential and outpatient settings. Typically, approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and contingency management are effective treatments for heroin use disorder. Most especially when delivered simultaneously with medications.

Generally, CBT aims at helping patients modify their behaviours and expectations. Essentially, it alters everything relating to drug use and helps devise coping skills for different life stressors.

On the other hand, contingency management uses a point-based procedure in which patients earn certain “points” based on their negative drug tests. The points are usually exchangeable for items that encourage leading a healthy lifestyle. The reward also extends to other activities like attending and participating in addiction counselling sessions, or for taking your medications as prescribed.

Other behavioural therapies include:

  • Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET) uses different approaches to make the most of your readiness to change your behaviour and enter treatment.
  • Family therapy helps individuals especially young people with drug use disorder, as well as their families. It’s a process of addressing the influence on drug use patterns and improving overall family functioning.

The Principles of Effective Treatment of Heroin Addiction

Research indicates that the first line of treatment for heroin or other opioids addiction is medication. Usually, the best way to perm ambient sobriety is combining medication with some form of counselling and behavioural therapy.

Furthermore, medication is hugely important for people going through drug detox. Though detoxification isn’t the same as addiction treatment, it helps set the pace for successful recovery. However, detoxification without continuing heroin addiction treatment often leads to the resumption of drug use.

How to Ensure The Successful Treatment of Heroin Addiction

Different forms of medications may be effective at different stages of treatment. However, maintaining sobriety and a healthy post-addiction treatment requires more. Some of these include; treating withdrawal, staying in treatment, and avoiding relapse.

Treating withdrawal

When patients first stop using drugs, they can experience various physical and emotional symptoms, including restlessness or sleeplessness, as well as depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. Certain treatment medications and devices reduce these symptoms, making it easier to stop drug use.

Staying in treatment

Some treatment medications are useful in helping your brain adapt gradually to the absence of the drug. These treatments act slowly to help prevent drug cravings and have a calming effect on your body. They can help patients focus on counselling and other psychotherapies related to their drug treatment.

Preventing relapse

Science has taught us that stress cues linked to drug use such as people, places, things, and moods, and contact with drugs are the most common triggers for relapse.

This is why behavioural therapy sessions are important. During these sessions, you can develop coping mechanisms to help you cope and manage relapse triggers.

Related Article: Heroin Addiction: The Obvious Signs to Look Out For

That’s All You Need To Know About Heroin Addiction

If you’ve been following us till this moment, you’re welcome. By now, you should know more about heroin addiction than you did before this article. We tried to cover as many important details as possible without risking an information overload.

If there is any part of this article you need to pay close attention to, it’s the section on ‘what happens during heroin addiction” and “heroin addiction treatment and recovery.” Those sections are essential to staying sober and staying drug-free.

We are aware it’s not easy to stop using heroin on your own. This is why it’s hugely important to speak with a professional about heroin addiction. Here at 1000 Islands Rehab Centre, our heroin addiction experts will listen to you and develop a custom plan for your treatment. Contact us today!

Categories
Meth Addiction

The Cost of Meth Addiction and Other Substance Abuse Rehab in Toronto

The cost of meth addiction treatment is usually a vital determinant when trying to give up the addiction. Most likely, you may be a bit turned off as to how much you have to spend

This can easily lead to a weakening of your resolve to get help. However, that shouldn’t stop you once you decide to seek help for your addiction.

What you may not realize is that it is just as expensive to maintain a meth addiction. Any addiction costs you a lot of money spent on drugs, hospital fees for poor health, and even legal fees.

In this article, we lay it all bare for you. Here, we will examine the costs that go into getting treatment. We will also assess the general price of addiction treatment in Canada. This way, you can develop a financial plan that helps you achieve your addiction treatment and recovery goals. Let’s get in.

Cost of Meth Addiction: How Much Does a Meth Habit Cost?

Methamphetamine is otherwise referred to as crystal meth, meth, blue, ice, amongst others. This is a highly addictive, chemically produced drug that releases dopamine into the human brain.

Meth is cheap and easy to access. A meth addict can go into the production of meth and even start selling it. Generally, in Canada, Winnipeg is considered the cheapest place to buy meth. A hit of meth there costs $5 to $10 while a gram costs $50.

However, according to Statistica, meth consumption figures are not high in Toronto, so the drug is not as popular. As a result, the cost of meth is high, with each hit costing $15 and a gram costing $110.

Related Article: How Crystal Meth Ruins Your Life Unless You Seek Help

Cost of addiction to Other Substances

According to a report of the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, drug use costs Canada up to $46 billion yearly. This equates to a total of $1258 for every person in Canada, highlighting the level of drug consumption

The report focuses on the consumption and abuse of substances such as tobacco, cocaine, opioids, cannabis, and alcohol. The costs attributed to tobacco and alcohol only constitute 63% of the total cost leaving 27% to other substances.

The widespread consumption of tobacco and alcohol does great harm to the country. Out of all the documented 277,060 hospital admissions in the recent year, tobacco and alcohol caused 89%.

Furthermore, tobacco and alcohol contributed 76% of the 75,1356 years of life lost due to substances. Meanwhile, the social costs attributable to the consumption of these substances are:

  • Lost productivity accounts for 44% of the total cost, or $20 billion
  • Health care costs account for 28% of the total cost, or $13.1 billion
  • Criminal justice accounts for 20% of the total cost, or $9.2 billion
  • Direct cost accounts for the remaining 8% equaling $3.6 billion

Before we discuss the cost of meth addiction treatment in Canada, it is important to get context. Context in this case is comparing the cost of maintaining a drug/alcohol habit with the price of rehab

Alcohol

Alcohol is legal in many countries including Canada. Therefore, most consumers of this liquid substance do not quickly consider the cost when they begin to dive into it.

Unlike other substances, alcohol, for most persons, is consumed in high amounts before it can be called an addiction. Taking a bottle or cup may not do much harm.

As the number of bottles starts increasing, with greater consumption frequency, you begin to tread the path of alcoholism.

The average cost of an alcoholic drink in Toronto is $16. Taking three drinks every week amounts to an average of $2496 yearly. This is even the least cost as prices of alcoholic beverages vary with brand, alcoholic content, and size.

For heavy alcohol consumers, the cost, of course, rises. Women take an average of 7 drinks per week while men consume 14 drinks. With an addiction, you take an average of 12 bottles every week amounts to $9984.

These persons, who are prone to alcohol use disorder, spend a lot of money on just alcohol. This is not to mention the health costs that accompany this habit and other similar fees that may arise.

Marijuana

Marijuana is legal in Canada for both medical and recreational purposes. This, alongside the legal age of purchase being 19 years, has influenced the rate of marijuana addiction in Toronto.

Marijuana remains one of the drugs with a high addiction tendency. Interestingly, anyone older than 19 can possess, consume or share as much as 30 grams of marijuana. Thirty grams makes an average of 60 to 75 pre-rolled joints, which costs an average of $160 to $400.

If you consume an average of 5 rolled joints per day, it amounts to an average of $5000 to $12000. Whoever consumes 30 grams within a week spends between $8000 to $20000.

Cocaine

Canada has once ranked to be the second-largest consumer of cocaine in the world. That year, Canadians consumed over three times the amount consumed in other places.

However, cocaine is relatively cheaper in Canada than in other places. In Canada, one gram costs an average of $85, as opposed to the $120 it will go for in other locations.

This gives room for more persons to consume, abuse, and get addicted to the drug. A gram of cocaine can last a few hours, days, or weeks, depending on how addicted you are. You may spend up to $5000 weekly and $30,000 yearly if you consume up to a gram of cocaine daily.

Opioids

Opioids are not commonly available, and getting them often depends on a doctor’s prescription. Therefore, the cost of an opioid addiction depends on the prescription, the availability, and the location of the addict.

The cost of opioid prescriptions may reduce with insurance. But this cannot be accessed by everyone.

Getting opioids on the street is a lot more expensive. However, this is the option most addicts resort to, leading to a high financial consequence. Opioids include several prescriptions such as tramadol, suboxone, oxycodone, Fentanyl, Norco, Oxycontin, and so on.

The street price is an average of 3 times that of the prescription. For instance, the prescription price of fentanyl is $9.4, and the street price is $40. An addict who takes opioids spends an average of $3500 yearly.

Heroine

Heroin is a widely produced drug. As a result of this, the cost of heroin drops continually because the supply is arguably more than the demand.

This drug has a high addiction tendency, and persons consuming heroin are prone to Heroin Use Disorder. A roll of heroin can be sold starting from as low as $5 up to $20.

As reported by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the average price of heroin in North America was $152 per gram. Thus, heavy consumers or hardcore addicts may spend as high as $150 to $200 or an average of $54000 annually.

Modes of Addiction Treatments and Associated Costs

When discussing the cost of meth addiction treatment in Toronto, it’s important to factor in the type of treatment program.

Generally, meth addiction treatment in Canada is done in tranches, the usual timespan being 30 days. Therefore, most payment information come on a 30-day basis, unless otherwise specified.

Detox

This is the first and non-negotiable step of most addiction treatments. During detox, your body removes the drugs and becomes clean. It is a safe method of undergoing and then overcoming withdrawal from the drugs alcohol.

On average, you may have to spend between $250 to $800 per day to undergo detox in many centers. Generally, many things affect the cost of meth addiction detox, one of which is the level of care. Detox with medical personnel present will involve more money.

Similarly, medication to counteract painful withdrawal symptoms come at a cost. You may also expect a difference if you undergo detox as an inpatient or an outpatient. Usually, detox is factored into the total cost of inpatient treatment.

Furthermore, you may have to pay close to the higher side of the spectrum, depending on the risks involved. Higher risks involve more dangerous detox and require much closer medical monitoring. Also, if it is an emergency detox, you will have to pay more.

Outpatient treatment

Outpatient care is not for everyone. For the most part, it is dependent on the intensity of meth addiction. The less severe your meth abuse habit, the more likely you can be successfully treated as an outpatient.

Outpatient care is also more likely to be recommended if you have a supportive home environment that encourages sobriety. It also takes into account your regular schedule, disrupting it as minimally as possible.

Outpatient care still retains the hallmarks of treatment. Your provider will initiate you to programs like behavioral therapy and multilevel family therapy. To motivate you to continue putting your best at getting over the addiction, incentives may also be in play.

In outpatient care, you will have to go to the center a few times each week, and for a specified time. The programs you will be attending may be individual or grouped. If there’s a need for medication, it will be provided under the strict attention of a trained medical professional.

On balance, outpatient meth addiction rehab is relatively cheaper than the alternative. There are several free programs offering outpatient care. However, you may expect to spend between $1000 and $10000 for treatment.

You will also see many offerings of $5000 for a three-month program. The amount you pay usually determines how often you go to the center and how long the sessions last.

Intensive Outpatient Treatment

This is outpatient care with more intensity. You will be required to go to the center for more days of the week and for longer hours. You may also have to be present for more therapy sessions.

Your provider may deem this the best for you based on the severity of your addiction. It may also be based on the center, possibly the inability to accommodate a fully residential treatment.

Regardless, the cost of meth addiction treatment should be between $3000 and $12000 for a 30-day intensive outpatient treatment.

Inpatient treatment

Here, you will be fully residential in the treatment center. This mode of treatment is usually reserved for those with the most severe addiction. Hence, they require the most critical, round-the-clock care and closest assessment and supervision.

Of course, the programs they will undertake are similar to other types of care. Your addiction treatment experts will use detox, cognitive behavioral therapy, contingency management interventions and motivational incentive as necessary.

Expectedly, inpatient care is the most expensive of all addiction treatment methods. Asides from the non-stop care, the center also provides room and board. More high-end centers, like those attended by celebrities, have more amenities provided. All of these will determine the final cost of meth rehab.

The cost of meth addiction treatment in most inpatient centers ranges between $2000 and $25000. More popular and high-end centers provide luxury programs and may charge more than $25000 for the same duration. Of course, if you require a 2-month or 3-month program, your bill is anywhere between $9000 and $60000.

Partial Hospitalisation

Partial hospitalization also provides the best of both sides. You will attend the clinic during the day for an intense treatment, and you can return home after, as long as it proves a stable environment.

The cost of meth rehab with partial hospitalisation ranges between $300 to $500 per day. But, it is worth it.

Medication-assisted Treatment

When calculating the cost of meth addiction treatment in Canada, it’s important to consider the price of medication. Both detox and recovery processes may require you to take some drugs to make it easier.

Complications that may arise during detox also usually require that some medicines are taken. This will all affect the price tag of your treatment.

Medications usually come into play in opiate and alcohol addiction. Also, they can run into a few thousand dollars yearly. For example, the cost of using methadone to treat heroin addiction for a year racks up to between $5000 and $7000. A naltrexone treatment, in addition to drug administration and other services, costs up to $15000 for a year.

Related Article: Methamphetamine Addiction: These 7 Facts Will Help You Stop Using for Good

Factors That Affect the Cost of Meth Addiction Treatment

Meth addiction treatments are usually a comprehensive process, and it involves a lot of individual components. Each of these components has a say in how much you pay to get meth addiction treatment. They include:

Inpatient vs. outpatient

This means whether you get treatment as an inpatient or an outpatient. Generally, as you will have realised, inpatient services cost considerably more than outpatient basis.

This is due to housing, feeding and non-stop monitoring that happens if you are a resident. There are also admission fees that come with inpatient treatment that will be considered.

Location

The location of the center also determines how much you pay. This is usually dependent on the standard of living in the areas. Essentially, you can expect a facility in a rural area to charge considerably less than one in an urban center.

Length of care

The standard length of treatment for addiction is 30 days. However, you may spend more time than this. The severity of your condition adds to the cost of your meth addiction treatment. It usually leads to a longer treatment time.

You may also choose to stay for longer if having a sober environment for longer will be helpful. Regardless of your reason, the longer you stay at the rehab facility, the higher your bill climbs.

Treatments offered

Addiction recovery programs vary depending on the treatments that make up the aforementioned program. If there is more medical care involved, due to withdrawal symptoms during detox, the costs rise.

Also, the scope of professional counselling provided contributes to the cost of meth addiction treatment. The more services provided, the higher you have to pay.

Amenities

Treatment facilities for addiction differ in many ways, one of which is the amenities provided. There are luxury centers that offer top of the range amenities. These amenities may be massages, tennis courts, personal rooms, and excellent chefs.

These luxury centers usually charge higher fees than regular facilities. This also factors into the amount you have to pay to get better from addiction.

Aftercare

While treatment is essential, it is equally crucial to maintain the behaviour and habits imbibed after treatment. With this, you may have to take part in multi-step recovery programs.

Another option is sober living housing, which involves taking up residence in a community focused on staying without drugs. These programs also have their particular costs and add up to the overall price of getting better.

How to Finance Meth Addiction Treatment

The cost of meth addiction treatment is generally high, and is not easy to pay out-of-pocket. This means you have to look for ways to finance your treatment.

Health Insurance

Health insurance is one of the best ways to ensure healthcare amongst the citizens of any given country. The insurance plans vary as there are prepayments, post payments, and deductibles.

Thankfully, health insurance covers the treatment of mental illnesses, including disorders caused by consuming drugs. Thus, insurance can finance the cost of meth addiction treatment in Canada.

Health insurance can come from private companies or the government. Public health insurance in Canada is open to all and sundry, including the unemployed or the self-employed citizens.

Private health insurance often serves as a substitute or even as a supplement for public health insurance. Employers offer private insurance to their employees as one of the employment benefits.

Thus, you can turn to both the applicable public or private health insurance to cover the cost of your meth addiction treatment.

Paying out-of-pocket

Even when an individual has insurance, they may have to pay for some basic things included in the cost of meth addiction treatment from his pocket.

Also, some individuals choose not to use insurance and pay the cost from their pockets. This may occur because they do not have health insurance. They also may not wish to disclose their condition to employers.

However, this will cost an employee or a person a considerable amount of money compared to using insurance. While some healthcare plans allow for cash payment, others are strictly based on insurance.

These facilities charge cash depending on how intensive the treatment is. The cost of meth addiction treatment in cash ranges from $5000 to $50000.

Due to the high cost of addiction treatment in Canada, a person who intends to pay for meth addiction treatment by cash may need financing options such as:

  • Personal loan
  • Monthly scholarships
  • Available individual discounts
  • Paying with a credit card

State-funded rehab

The state provides a means of treatment for people who cannot pay the price of meth rehab treatment or are not entitled to health insurance. This benevolence entails the cost of addiction treatment in drug and alcohol rehab facilities.

Also, these facilities offer many services such as inpatient, outpatient, detox, and support services.

The only snag with state-funded rehab is the quality of service. Usually, the quality of treatment you will get depends on the source of the funding, the state policy on meth addiction treatment, and the type of treatment program

Look Past the Cost of Meth Rehab

The cost of meth addiction treatment in all cases is worth more than living with the habit. You should always look at the big picture when considering quitting meth and getting help.

More so, there are professional addiction treatment services that offered varied financing plans to make the cost easier on your bank account. 1000 Islands Rehab Centre is one such partner. Here, we offer comprehensive treatment plans that are flexible enough to cater to your particular needs. Speak to any of our meth addiction treatment experts today!

Categories
Methamphetamine Addiction

Is Your Loved One On Crystal Meth And How Can You Help?

Are you wondering how to help a loved one on crystal meth? You may find it particularly disturbing to resort to such. However, if your loved one is caught within the tendrils of crystal meth, you have to do something to help.

Many experts have revealed that helping anyone get out of drug addiction requires deliberate and systematic steps. It also involves getting all the information you can and then applying it directly.

That is what we are here to help you with. In this article, we will dig deep into what makes crystal meth special as a drug of addiction. We will then uncover ways you can help a loved one deal with crystal meth abuse, including interventions and rehab programs. Let’s get started.

What Is Crystal Meth And Why Is It So Unique?

Methamphetamine is otherwise referred to as crystal meth, meth, blue, or ice. It is a highly addictive chemically produced drug that releases dopamine into the human brain. This stimulant appears as a white coloured powder with no taste and dissolves rapidly in water and alcohol.

Dopamine is a chemical released when a person is doing something they love or enjoy. For example, singing your best song, watching your favourite television show, being with someone you love, eating your favourite meal, and so on.

When you take crystal meth, it releases ten to twelve times the normal amount of dopamine in the brain. You may wonder how a person will feel if they have ten times the usual amount of dopamine in their brain. The saying “I feel on top of the world”, is in no way close to describing how meth addicts feel.

Now, you will understand why meth is described as an extremely scary drug. Except in special circumstances, the immense pleasure derivable from meth will most likely make a person ask for more. It is termed to be a “once and forever” drug because it takes professional intervention to help a loved one on crystal meth.

Interestingly, meth is not a natural drug. It is derived from the combination of many other drugs and items. You can purchase the ingredients from a drug store and cook them together to produce meth. Producing meth leads to a very toxic product consumed by sniffing, snorting, or injecting.

Compared to other street drugs, meth has many “benefits” that make it highly consumable. For one, meth is cheap and easy to access. A meth addict can easily go into the production of meth and even start selling it. Of course, this will only help an addict ingrain the habit and even make fast money through it.

This illegal drug originated from the parent drug amphetamine in the early 20th century. The parent drug was originally dispensed for nasal decongestant and bronchial inhaling. However, meth is different from amphetamine in that it is stronger and has a more long-lasting effect on the brain.

Related Article: What is Meth Addiction?

Understanding Why Your Loved One is on crystal meth

Drugs are generally used as a way to escape negative feelings. Your loved one may have undergone some traumatic event that they cannot deal with properly. While this is no excuse to turn to drugs, it might help you understand your loved ones’ state of mind.

Crystal meth use is very common. In fact, according to the NCBI, it is the second most widely used illicit drug after marijuana. This fact implies it is easy to find and also particularly enjoyable to consume. So when you wonder why your loved one has taken solace in crystal meth, this may just be the reason.

Understanding how they got into it will better help you know how to approach them on the subject. Regardless, a general rule for handling a case of addiction is to throw all judgment away. In the subsequent sections, we will discuss how you can do that.

Signs of Meth Addiction

Usually, if you’re considering that someone you love is using crystal meth, it’s because you have noticed a couple of things. Signs of meth addiction range from physical signs to behavioural signs. Like any other addictive drug, crystal meth harms the body and mind of an addict.

Visible physical signs include:

  • An untidy and unkempt look
  • Dilated pupils with rapid eye movements
  • Profuse sweating
  • Erratic or twitchy body movements
  • High body temperature
  • Dental issues like tooth decay (peculiar to meth users)
  • Facial twitching
  • Talking too constantly and rapidly
  • Loss of appetite and weight loss
  • Frequent itching of the body
  • Obsessively picking at the hair and skin
  • Lack of sleep and inconsistent sleeping patterns
  • Sores on the face and skin
  • Intense headache

These signs may result from the use and abuse of other drugs, although their likelihood of them surfacing from using crystal meth is very high. They may also be due to other genuine underlying medical conditions.

While you may use these signs to suspect your loved ones of meth use, you should be careful. If they feel accused and wrongly at that, they may feel alienated. This then makes it even more difficult to get them help.

Psychological or behavioural signs are also crucial when considering if someone you love is using crystal meth. You will likely see a strong turn in a person’s behavioural pattern once they start using crystal meth. These signs include:

  • Anxiety, nervousness, irritable behaviour, and disability
  • Unpredictable aggression and violence
  • Anger or mood swings
  • Hallucination: Seeing, hearing, or believing in things that are aren’t there
  • Hyperactivity, higher energy, and restlessness
  • Psychotic behaviour, stress, and bipolar disorder

Whenever someone using meth becomes sober temporarily, he or she will experience symptoms such as:

  • Extreme fatigue
  • Uncontrollable and intense depression
  • Extreme irritability and instability

Consequences of Not Helping a Person on Crystal Meth

You must take steps to help a person with a meth addiction immediately you notice it. Meth is a particularly powerful drug. It has significant effects on the brain because it reshapes the structure of its user’s brain.

Experts have spoken of how crystal meth has the most significant effects on the brain than other illicit drugs. It markedly reduces the number of neurotransmitters in the brain.

This eventually manifests as problems with impulse control as well as focus. Beyond the physical and mental effects, the drug consequently affects social behaviour.

It is not uncommon for meth addicts to be unable to hold down their jobs. This gets compounded since they are compelled to use all their finances to get another fix. There is also potential legal trouble since meth use in Canada is illegal.

If your loved one is caught up in all of these, they may find themselves in a lot of trouble. Generally, the earlier you tackle the problem, the easier it is to solve it. So you should put out all the stops to find them all the meth addiction treatment they need.

How To Help A Loved One On Crystal Meth

Once you have identified your loved one’s problem, the next step is to provide help and support. However, if you do not know how to help them, your efforts may be more harmful than helpful to your loved one.

Research and learn about crystal meth

You cannot offer help to your loved one without knowing enough about their problem. Thus, the foremost step is to learn about crystal meth addiction. This will give a better insight into what your loved one is dealing with, how the person feels, and the reasons for the addiction.

Having gained an understanding of the problem, the next step is the solution. This entails knowing how to help a loved one on crystal meth during, before and after their treatment. On a personal note, this will help you know how much of your time, energy, and care the loved one will need.

Furthermore, discovering that someone you love is using crystal meth can be mentally draining and physically exhausting. The learning process will give you enough time to calm down and recover from your own pain to help the recovering addict.

Work with professionals

You will agree that getting the help of a professional in any task you embark upon can, in many ways, make things easier. The same goes for issues with crystal meth addiction. Talking to a professional is a very important step in helping a loved one on crystal meth.

Aside from the knowledge that can be easily acquired online, talking to a professional can help to get tailored solutions to your loved one. From experience, a professional can dissect the reasons and processes that led your loved one into becoming an addict. From this, you will get specific advice on how to help your loved one on crystal meth.

Also, as mentioned above, crystal meth addicts are prone to violence and aggression. Thus, be it a therapist, psychologist, psychologist, or interventionist, it is essential to speak to someone. This professional will give first-hand tips on how, when, and where to address the addict. It will protect the family and friends of the addict from any harm that can be indirectly caused by the addict.

Most importantly, a professional is a better person to teach you how to persuade the loved one on crystal meth to seek help. Once that is done, a huge part of the problem has been solved.

Talk with compassion — avoid confrontation

Talking to an addict about their addiction is a crucial and delicate step. To an addict, this seems like a form of attack or show of displeasure in their way of life. You have to tread softly, so the efforts don’t go south. A crystal meth addict can easily resort to violence and even severe ties with the persons confronting them.

Consequently, certain tips must be strictly adhered to when talking to a loved one on crystal meth. For one, don’t speak to a crystal meth addict whenever they are high on the drug.

As established, no one is in their right senses after using crystal meth. Thus, that is the worst time to speak to them. Target a time when the drug would have worn off and use that opportunity to address the person.

Also, avoid being confrontational in any way while trying to help a loved one on crystal meth. Confrontations usually lead people to become defensive and divulge little or no information. Speak to your loved one in the kindest possible way. Help them feel safe and comfortable talking to you.

You can achieve this by talking about something completely different for a start. Talk about their favourite television show, songs, food, so they can feel very comfortable.

You can also have discussions around the good memories that were created before they ventured into using meth. This will help them remember what their life looked like before the addiction.

Once this is done, you can proceed to tell them all you’ve noticed in the nicest possible way. Tell them how much you are bothered about them and the signs of meth addiction you’ve noticed. Talk about the particular things you’ve noticed, and remember to reiterate how much you care.

Remember that you are not expecting a response. You are simply trying to remind them of the person they were before the addiction. So, do not push the conversation for too long till a crystal meth addict becomes uncomfortable.

Be Patient and non-judgmental

Remember that it took more than just one sniff or consumption to become an addict. Yes, it starts with a trial, but addiction only happens after several instances of abuse. This is the same way just one conversation cannot change a crystal meth addict.

You must exercise patience while helping a loved one using crystal meth. Give enough intervals between discussions with an addict about their addiction and remain kind. Know that it will take some time before they can open up to you about it.

A crystal meth addict may exercise different emotions while talking to you about it. They may display anger, denial, or aggression. They may also pass a few remarks or grudgingly say a few words.

Whichever response your loved one displays, be patient, and don’t be judgmental. Helping a loved one out of crystal meth addiction requires lots of patience, which you must exercise.

Pay Enough Attention and Listen

Addictions generally occur when the addict is at their lowest and needs something to feel better. Often, knowing what led a person into the addiction can be enough of a trigger to snap them out of it. You have to pay attention to your loved one and listen to every word carefully to figure this out.

A loved one using crystal meth may not easily disclose the reasons behind their addiction or unwillingness to stop. But if you pay enough attention while showing you are willing to listen, the chances of an addict opening up increases.

Once a crystal meth addict starts to talk, you must listen. You must listen attentively and not interrupt them while talking. You should neither invalidate their feelings nor give unsolicited advice. Make eye contact and give genuine smiles to keep them talking. By listening, you will better understand your loved one’s special circumstances and how to help.

Self-care

It is important for a recovering meth addict to learn the importance of getting help with crystal meth addiction. This may not happen immediately because it usually takes a while before a meth addict can realize that something is wrong.

The process of recovering is what brings a meth addict to sobriety. But remaining sober is up to the person. It is a universal truth that no one can love someone more than oneself.

This saying comes to play here as no one can care for the addict as much as they can. A recovering addict should be interested in learning ways to deal with crystal meth abuse.

A recovering meth addict should be ready to put in all the work necessary to heal and recover completely. This requires discipline, perseverance, and self-care. This may mean losing relationships with friends or peers that introduced the person to the habit. It may help to change the environment, live with supportive persons, or join a support group.

In the process of recovering, your loved one can make a lot of progress through listening to the stories of persons who have had similar experiences. A support group offers that opportunity to a recovering addict. Here, a recovering addict feels safe enough to share their struggles, listen to others, and be more inspired to recover.

Thus, no matter how much you wish to help a loved one on crystal meth, this cannot happen without the person’s cooperation. Teaching them to see the need to fight this addiction will go a long way in dealing with crystal meth abuse.

Conducting a crystal meth addiction intervention

An intervention is a vital step in helping a meth addict. Because of how sensitive addicts are, you should make sure you have a professional on hand during the intervention.

You can expect to be in the intervention for many hours. So, you should make plans for a conducive setting. You must also properly consider the timing of the event.

If you can manage, get the family and loved ones together and hold a rehearsal. It may seem trivial, but emotions usually run high at interventions. This makes it easy to get off course.

With a rehearsal, everyone prepares what they will say and how they will say it. So the intervention becomes more effective.

It is also crucial to manage your expectations. You should not imagine a big change right after your intervention. It is even much safer to expect some resistance from your loved one. But you must be ready to try again until you are successful.

Related Article: How To Stop Meth Addiction

Treatment Options for Meth Addiction

We cannot discuss how to help a loved one on crystal meth without considering possible treatment options. Most effective options for treatment involve behavioural therapies.

A hybrid treatment exists, which encompasses individual counselling, family support, and behavioural therapy to counteract the addiction.

You may not see many drugs in use as a treatment. This is because there are no known drugs that can directly oppose methamphetamine or prolong abstinence. However, your loved one may be given drugs to help with the side effects of the drug.

Your Loved One Is Getting Treatment: What Next?

No guide on how to help a loved one on crystal meth goes on without emphasizing support. That is the most important thing in the whole spectrum, from talking to them to getting them into treatment.

Your loved one with an addiction needs to know you are there for them wholeheartedly. This doesn’t stop even after they have agreed to go for treatment.

You may offer to take them to their therapy session if they are on an outpatient basis. If they have to be in the rehab center to get better, you should make frequent visits and always reassure them.

Many recovery programs incorporate family and friends because of their importance in rehabilitating a crystal meth addict. You can take advantage of such arrangements to prove to your loved one that you support them.

However, as much as you provide support to your loved one, you should remember to take care of yourself. Dealing with someone with an addiction has its highs and lows.

So while you are providing support, take breaks as often as necessary. This is to make sure you are in the best position to be the best help to them.

Final Take

There is no doubt that recovery from crystal meth addiction is possible. All you need to know is how to help your loved one with the addiction. You must also psych yourself up and be determined to get them out of the habit.

If you are ready to begin your loved one’s recovery, you should check out our addiction treatment services. Here at 1000 Islands Addiction Rehab & Treatment Centre, we have an array of experts who will work round the clock to help get your loved one back into shape and live a drug-free life. Contact us today!

Categories
Methamphetamine Addiction

How Crystal Meth Ruins Your Life Unless You Seek Help

There is no need to wonder how crystal meth addiction can ruin your life. There are many examples of it around, from entertainment celebrities to sports stars. You may also have seen a loved one coworker go down the dumps due to drug addiction.

While this is not to scare you, it reminds you that drug addiction is dangerous. But luckily, there are now new ways to get the better of it.

There are quickly evolving measures to help reduce the effects of crystal meth abuse. There are also new and effective treatment options available to you.

With this interesting read, we will show you the negative effects of meth addiction on your life. More importantly, we will provide a roadmap that can help you get freedom from crystal meth abuse.

Facts About Crystal Meth

Methamphetamine is the chemical name for the highly addictive and potent drug called crystal meth. Methamphetamine has several slang names, like crystal meth, meth, blue, and ice, amongst many others.

Meth often appears in the form of a crystalline white coloured powder and sometimes in chunks resembling ice. Over time, it has been observed to appear in other colours, including pink, yellowish gray, brown or orange. Crystal meth can equally be condensed and produced to appear in the form of a pill.

Crystal meth has a relatively strong odour. It is often perceived to have the smell of paint. At other times, it is a combination of many chemicals that gives the effect of the commonly known “hospital smell.” It can equally give the smell of ammonia or vinegar. Smoking crystal meth can reduce the effect and give a rather subtle odour.

How does crystal meth work?

Crystal meth, as a psychostimulant, releases dopamine into the human brain while giving no room for inhibitors. Crystal meth is not naturally produced as it is derived from the combination of several drugs and items.

These items can be purchased from a drug store and cooked together to produce meth. Methamphetamine addiction usually occurs by sniffing, snorting, injecting, swallowing or ingesting orally.

Crystal meth is also consumed by smoking directly through a glass pipe. These methods of administering crystal meth give it quick contact with the brain and bloodstream.

The chemical released by the brain after Amphetamine use is called dopamine. Usually, it occurs naturally when a person engages in a hobby or something they love. This chemical makes a person feel good about whatever they are doing.

However, when you use meth, your body goes above and beyond when releasing dopamine into the human body. Compared to the natural occurrence, crystal meth spurs the release of ten to twelve times more dopamine than normal. This drug leaves an immensely pleasurable feeling that occurs immediately and lasts 15 to 20 minutes.

It also explains how crystal meth can easily ruin your life as just a few intakes can keep you addicted to it “forever.” Meth has been described as an extremely scary drug as it often takes the intervention of a professional to keep it from ruining your life.

Origins of crystal meth

Despite the difficulty producing at that time, methamphetamine was first developed in Germany in the year 1887. A Japanese chemist reduced the major ingredient in methamphetamine called ephedrine in the process of crystallization. This produced a crystallized form that birthed crystal meth.

This stimulant was used in World War II by both sides to keep their soldiers awake. Many doses of the stimulants were prescribed to Kamikaze pilots before their mission.

However, it did not stop at that. The demand for crystal meth increased beyond the war. Such demand even rose after it had been banned in the United States in the year 1970.

The crystal meth consumed today came into existence in the 1980s. People on the streets started taking to laboratories or their houses for production.

This was done with white rocks or bluish crystals, adding twice the amount of ephedrine to make it more potent. Access to ephedrine and pseudoephedrine was easy at the time. They were found in many legalized drugs that can be purchased over the counter, like cough medicine.

Methamphetamine is a stimulant that has been legalized for use in medicine today. This is only to treat obesity or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Plus, it is available only on prescription by doctors.

Prevalence of crystal meth abuse

There are generally different reasons to be motivated to use crystal meth. For instance, anyone sinking into depression can easily use crystal meth because of its ability to enhance mood. You may also be attracted to the drug because of the increased libido and the sexual pleasure that comes with it.

Crystal meth is highly consumed in every part of the world. About half a million Americans used crystal meth every week. Interestingly, statistics from the NCBI show that an average of 12.3 million Americans claim they have consumed crystal meth at one point or the other.

Comparison with other kinds of drugs

Meth, unlike many other drugs, is cheap and easy to access. This also gives room for ease of production by an addict who is interested in producing the drug. Many times, meth addicts who go into production also become dealers.

Also, unlike many other drugs derived from natural plants like tobacco, crystal meth is relatively artificial. It is cooked with a mixture of several chemicals, which makes the effects of crystal meth stronger than most other drugs.

Signs that crystal meth is ruining someone’s life

The ways in which crystal meth will ruin your life is not subtle. It becomes easily apparent when a person is on the drug.

This is because certain physical and behavioural signs will be visible to people around a crystal meth addict. Visible physical signs include:

  • An untidy and unkempt look
  • Dilated pupils with rapid eye movements
  • Profuse sweating
  • Erratic or twitchy body movements
  • High body temperature
  • Dental issues like tooth decay (peculiar to meth users)
  • Facial twitching
  • Talking too constantly and rapidly
  • Loss of appetite and weight loss
  • Frequent itching of the body
  • Obsessively picking at the hair and skin
  • Lack of sleep and inconsistent sleeping patterns
  • Sores on the face and skin
  • Intense headache

While these physical signs may be the product of other health issues, the probability of these signs surfacing in a crystal meth addict’s life is very high.

Psychological or behavioural signs are also very important when considering how crystal meth can ruin your life. You will likely see a strong turn in a person’s behavioural pattern once they start using crystal meth. These signs include:

  • Anxiety, nervousness, irritable behaviour, and disability
  • Unpredictable aggression and violence
  • Anger or mood swings
  • Hallucination: Seeing, hearing, or believing in things aren’t there
  • Hyperactivity, higher energy, and restlessness
  • Psychotic behaviour, stress, and bipolar disorder

How Crystal Meth Can Ruin Your Life

The effects of using crystal meth are so grave that it can, in many ways, ruin the life of any person using it. There is no positive consequence accompanying the use of crystal meth.

There are immediate damages to the brain, body, skin while there are long term effects. If a meth addict is not careful, the use of crystal meth could lead to death.

Short term

  • Instant addiction: One of the most immediate effects of crystal meth is its ability to cause an instant addiction. As a result of the potency of the drug, just a few doses are needed to ask for more continually
  • Financial problems: Except for a person dealing in crystal meth, anyone consuming crystal meth will soon find him or herself in a state of bankruptcy. This is because of the financial impact that accompanies the regular high consumption of crystal meth.

Even for a dealer, the impaired judgement that comes with meth use leaves little space for good financial decisions. Before long, you may be without a home and food to eat.

  • Effect on personal relationships: A crystal meth addict will begin to show signs of withdrawing from those around. As time goes on, most personal relationships will be destroyed, leaving the person in a state of loneliness.

Meth abusers are generally violent, a behaviour unacceptable to loved ones. It may also get so bad as to lead them to untoward acts like child abuse and infidelity. This easily leaves such an addict quickly estranged from family and friends.

  • Sexual dysfunction: Though users of crystal meth claim to have a heightened and pleasurable experience while having sex, this is short-lived. A crystal meth addict is prone to experiencing sexual dysfunction.

Also, some studies have linked crystal meth use to impotence. This makes the drug of no benefit to anyone sexually.

  • Outward appearance: A person using crystal meth begins to care less about the kinds of clothes to put on and how to appear in public generally. People easily shun them as they generally look repulsive.

Meth users also tend to hallucinate meth mites. They constantly feel like insects are crawling on them. This leads them to scratch a lot, developing sores and scabs on their body. In the end, this only adds to the repulsion.

  • Loss of weight: Anyone on crystal meth consumes less food as time goes on because they have virtually no appetite for food. This leads to loss of weight, a skinny body and a weak immune system.

Long term

  • Effects on the Brain: Crystal meth has an instantaneous effect of releasing a lot more dopamine into the human brain than normal. However, this is the least of it all.

Crystal meth can ruin the life of an addict by subjecting him to brain damages. Diseases like dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and so on easily come on.

It can also lead to a major restructuring of the brain that affects a person’s emotional and cognitive behaviour. Long term use can equally destroy a person’s brain’s nerve terminals and white matter.

  • Effect on the body and skin: Ways by which crystal meth can ruin your life includes long term destruction on the skin. Crystal meth addicts can begin to look older and have sores over the body, possibly leading to infections.

Many times, they lose the elasticity of their skin, making it look haggard. This can also lead to the development of illnesses like fibrosis, fatty liver disease, coronary artery atherosclerosis, etc.

  • Effect on mental health: People using crystal meth experience mental health issues after the doses taken have worn off. This can lead to depression out of loneliness, inability to experience joy in their lives or other psychological problems.

This may be as a result of frustration, irritability, paranoia, nervousness and mood swings. Crystal meth usage can also lead to anxiety. This anxiety usually comes as a result of crystal meth intoxication and subsequent withdrawal.

  • Severe health implications: Using crystal meth can lead to severe health implications like high blood pressure, increased body temperature, failure of the heart, diarrhea, constant headache and migraine, insomnia and so on.
  • Legal trouble: Crystal meth is an illegal drug that has been banned in most parts of the world. Thus, anyone on crystal meth risks ruining their life by being caught by the authorities and possibly thrown into jail.
  • Prone to Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Crystal meth addicts are more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviour. Of course, it means their chances of catching a sexually transmitted disease increases.
  • Effect on dental health: Anyone using crystal meth is easily prone to tooth decay, gum disease, toothache, and so on. The condition is called “meth mouth” and is very specific to meth addicts. It may lead to losing teeth and destruction of the dental system in gravest cases.
  • Methamphetamine psychosis: Chronic usage of crystal meth can easily ruin the life of an addict by leading to psychotic episodes like schizophrenia.

Seeking Help For Meth Addiction

Many addicts don’t seek help until too late.  The reason for this usually comes down to 3.

  • Denial: You may have been denying that you have a problem. Many times, drug use starts because of some other problem, a failed relationship for example.

By turning to drugs, you may get relief. However, you will not notice when the drugs begin to contribute and worsen the problem.

It becomes dangerous when you are unable to identify the impact of the drugs. Of course, since you don’t think it is a problem, you will not seek help for it.

  • Shame: You may have realized the problem. But you don’t seek help because of the stigma attached to addiction. You do not want to be labelled an addict.

If the shame gets too much, you may feel like you do not deserve any help. This then makes it difficult for you to ask for help.

  • Fear: There may also be a fear of what happens if you seek help. Rehab isn’t usually a pleasant experience and detoxing often comes with a lot of discomfort.

The fear of going through this may hold you back from seeking help. Furthermore, you may not want to relive some past painful experiences through therapy.

In contrast, you may have gone to rehab before and relapsed. All these add up to make you so scared to want to commit again.

Now that you have no doubts about how crystal meth can ruin your life, you should only do one thing. Seek help. You may not be as aware, but it is possible to make a full turnaround from your addiction.

It often seems like a myth. It may feel like one, too, with how hard your body craves the drug. But research reports are proving that recovery from addiction is possible. With expert methamphetamine addiction treatment, you increase the chances of making a full turnaround.

If you want to get better, it starts with you.

  1. You must be convinced of how crystal meth has ruined your life, or at least almost has. In your non-high state, think back to how you were before you started.

Evaluate your relationships with your loved ones. Examine your productivity and work and your finances. Check how healthy you are.

If you can spot an obvious difference, which will likely be there, then your addiction is well on its way to affecting your life. So, you have to make a conscious choice to get better, as no one can be as convinced for you.

  1. Believe that you can actively get better. You may read about your condition to learn more about it. Learn about what drove you there. Also, when you read reports of studies done to evaluate success rates, it may help you feel more confident.

Even while reading about such, you may not think it can happen to you. With that, you need to shore up confidence. The best way to do that is to go in to see a professional.

  1. Addiction is generally serious business. This means you cannot do it alone. One of the first steps in how to seek help for crystal meth abuse is to get your loved ones involved.

The most likely thing is that your loved ones will have noticed the changes in you. So don’t be surprised when they react more calmly than you expect. But also be sure of their love for you and their wish for you to get better.

  1. As your addiction counsellor may tell you, going through recovery is not usually an easy process. The stronger the addiction, the more difficult the recovery. This is why it is better to seek help as early as you can.

With this, you need to have a strong commitment to it. During recovery, you may have a strong urge to want to use again. You may even relapse. Recovery is usually a life-long journey, so you should not get discouraged. As long as you keep recommitting to it, you will get better.

Recovering From A Meth Addiction: Available options

One of the ways crystal meth can ruin your life is to leave you with a mental illness. This is apart from the regular bad effects of the drug. If you have a pre-existing mental illness, crystal meth abuse can make it significantly worse.

Because there is both a substance abuse disorder and possible mental involvement, the treatment options for meth addiction in Canada are different. A comprehensive treatment plan will include a mental assessment and treatment for it.

The options available to you are listed here.

Medical Detox

This is usually the first step when seeking treatment. It involves cleaning out the crystal meth of your body. The long-term use of the drug will have made your body dependent on it. So your professional will want to get the drugs cleared out.

Medical detox isn’t usually an easy process. Very likely, you will develop withdrawal symptoms, which are generally unpleasant. You may go through it, whether as an inpatient or an outpatient.

However, it is essential to have medical personnel present. It also leads to better success rates. Furthermore, having a professional around will make detoxing easier. They can prescribe medications to help your body adapt better without meth,

Counselling

This is often the next step after detoxing. Counsellors can help you understand the reasons why you got into the habit. They also make clearer how crystal meth can ruin your life if you continue to indulge.

Cognitive behavioural therapy

The focus of this method is to modify your behaviour to help you recognize your meth abuse triggers. With it, you realize how you react to certain things, making you resort to drugs. You are then able to leave such behaviour, and consequently, become and stay healthy.

This method of cognitive behavioural therapy is one of the most effective methods available. With it, you can rest assured that you are well on your road to recovery.

The Matrix Model

Another method that may be used is the Matrix Model. This model is a 4-month long treatment that uses behavioural therapy while involving your family by educating them properly.

It is usually a 12-step process that includes frequent drug testing. You are also encouraged to engage in activities unrelated to drug use.

Contingency Management Intervention

This is also another of the available options for treatment. It involves using incentives to encourage an addict to get treatment and continue staying away from drugs.

It is usually not used alone. You will expect to continue undergoing therapy. All these come together to help prevent crystal meth from ruining your life.

Get Freedom From Crystal Meth

Since you have read to this point, you know how crystal meth can ruin your life. But it is not all doom and gloom. You can get better and recover completely. The sooner you seek help for your addiction, the better your chances.

Our meth addiction treatment services are top-notch. We have a long line of experienced professionals who have helped many to recover.

More importantly, we can design custom meth addiction treatment programs to fit your unique needs. Contact us today to get started!

Categories
Cocaine Addiction

Why You Should Not Attempt Cocaine Withdrawal On Your Own

Why You Should Not Attempt Cocaine Withdrawal On Your Own

The truth is, cocaine detox can occur in several settings. It can happen at home or in a professional medical detox spa. While it may be tempting to attempt cocaine withdrawal on your own, it may be risky to do it alone. In fact, in most cases, this simple act can be disastrous or even deadly.

Usually, the cocaine withdrawal process may not be physically painful; however, it often comes with preset challenges. Addiction to any drug, including cocaine, will get your system overly dependent on the drug’s effects. As your body tries to adjust to living without it, you’ll experience several different mental and physical effects.

The process where your body decides to adapt to proper functioning without cocaine is known as withdrawal. Your body begins the withdrawal process once there is no more intake substance. Typically, the timeline for cocaine withdrawal starts from a few hours after the last dose.

People who undergo cocaine detox and withdrawal may usually experience a more painful process and dangerous side effects. Most times, you may exhibit an intense slew of psychological and physical side effects. In the same vein, you will have to deal with the cravings that come with this period. So, if you attempt cocaine withdrawal on your own, there’s a high chance of going back to using the substance again.

This is because you’re in your comfort zone with no supervision from a medical professional. As a result, you will find it easy to relapse in a bid to alleviate withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Furthermore, people with accessory substance abuse disorders may start using other substances while trying to quit cocaine.

Additionally, most people may even abuse alcohol to reduce some of the withdrawal symptoms and side-effects. However, if you attempt to quit cocaine in a medical detox facility, these risks are significantly reduced.

This and many more are the reasons why you should not undergo cocaine withdrawal at home. That is the crux of our discussion in this blog. Here, we will discuss why self cocaine withdrawal is not safe. To further buttress home the point, we will also explore the dangers of self-detox at home.

What is Cocaine Withdrawal?

Withdrawal from cocaine

Generally, withdrawal from cocaine is a condition that starts the moment your drug-dependence ends or reduces drastically. You see, physical dependence increases as your body adapts to the cocaine in your system.

Through this adaptation, your brain will start asking for cocaine to function well and feel normal again. The moment it doesn’t get the substance at the desired level, withdrawal symptoms will commence.

So, cocaine withdrawal is simply a condition describing when a patient stops the use of the substance. At this stage, the production of dopamine often occurs in your brain due to the presence of cocaine. As a result, without cocaine, you will find it difficult to produce this feel-good hormone. This has a spiral effect that manifests in the form of different physical symptoms.

In general, withdrawal from cocaine isn’t as critical as that of alcohol or other drugs. Some substances cause perhaps more deadly effects during the withdrawal and detox process. As a result, we can say that cocaine withdrawal symptoms aren’t life-threatening.

However, physical health difficulties may show up if you used to abuse cocaine along with alcohol. Withdrawal after such a lifestyle may pose a risk to your heart. In some cases, it’s possible to experience seizures during cocaine withdrawal.

If alcohol isn’t a factor, you may develop some depression symptoms like low motivation, energy, or moods during cocaine withdrawal. In rare cases, people may suffer from suicidal ideations during cocaine withdrawal. These are the reasons why addicts going through cocaine withdrawal require support and monitoring during detox. Nearly half of the people who use cocaine suffer from depression. As a result, this side effect may become intense during withdrawal.

Why You Should Not Attempt Cocaine Withdrawal on Your Own

Cocaine withdrawal

Lately, at-home cocaine withdrawal has been championed as a normal concept. Perhaps, this is due to the slight misrepresentation of the detox process in today’s media.

Detox is arguably one of the most popular topics in our society today. In fact, with all the daily adverts online, prints, and television, you may think detoxing is an easy-peasy process with no side-effects. This rampant notion is both wrong and misleading.

Firstly, the variety of detox products available in the market makes it seem like any form of detox is perfectly okay. However, the reverse is the case when it comes to real-life. For each person, the detox process is different. It is not like going on pills, liquid-formula or other regimen designed to remove the food toxins in the body.

You don’t just want to do a colon cleanse or a DIY procedure to drop excess water or body weight. It’s better for anyone who wants to be free of substance dependence to pursue detoxification through a professional detox facility. There, you’ll get quality detox procedures and 24/7 supervision by medical experts.

Why Self Cocaine Withdrawal is Not Safe

Several detox needs can only be addressed entirely under the care of medical professionals. This is the major reason why you should not attempt cocaine withdrawal on your own. A medical-grade level of supervision and support is crucial if you’re trying to avoid the adverse effects of cocaine withdrawal. As mentioned, relapse is likely, and it can result in overdose and death.

You may not be ready to face the intensity of the symptoms, which can extend into both mental and physical health. Beyond vomiting and nausea, withdrawal can trigger potentially life-threatening conditions, such as seizures, delirium tremens, and cardiovascular problems.

For instance, as many as 30% of people detoxing without sedatives will have a grand mal seizure. Also, there is no way to predict who will experience this side effect. This is because the human body reacts to external substances differently. For you, the cocaine withdrawal process may have been an easy ride. But for others, it may be far more difficult.

Trying to attempt cocaine withdrawal on your own without proper treatment can also negatively affect your mental health, resulting in:

  • Irritability and anger
  • Hopelessness
  • Hallucinations
  • Suicidal thoughts and depression
  • Paranoia and delusional thinking
  • Anxiety

Some of these psychological health symptoms can be so severe that it may threaten you. Sometimes, it can cause potential harm to you or the people around you. This another factor that makes the DIY cocaine withdrawal method very problematic.

Again, the withdrawal symptoms depend on the severity of cocaine usage, as well as your mental and physical health. This is why it is crucial to get a professional evaluation before you attempt cocaine withdrawal on your own.

What to Expect During Cocaine Withdrawal

When you get high on cocaine, you’ll experience a feeling of euphoria and a boost in your mood. These feelings are created by norepinephrine and dopamine.

At this point, the cocaine will make your brain produce these chemicals in abundance. As addiction goes on, your body adapts to the new development and waits to get cocaine before producing these hormones every time. So, once you quit, your body will experience low energy, motivation, well-being, and low mood. This is known as a crash.

Since the brain is not receiving the cocaine as usual again, it tends to “cause havoc”. Hence, you may experience the following:

  • Anxiety
  • Intense cravings
  • Sleepiness
  • Irritability
  • Anhedonia etc.

Sometimes, you may become paranoid or suspicious during a crash. You may even suffer from depression or suicidal thoughts. All these are common cocaine withdrawal symptoms during this phase of cocaine withdrawal. However, long-term cocaine users are often at a higher risk of experiencing more severe symptoms.

These symptoms are why you should always go with professional cocaine detox and rehab services.

What Are Cocaine Withdrawal Symptoms?

Cocaine Withdrawal Symptoms

Ultimately, we all have different experiences with drug withdrawal, including cocaine. However, some general symptoms are common with the withdrawal experience.

Here are some of them:

Fatigue

Tiredness or feeling very weak is a common symptom of cocaine withdrawal. Generally, you may feel exhausted naturally after the intoxicating effects of cocaine. Another factor that comes into play is your activities during the time you’re high on cocaine.

Cocaine can disguise the discomfort you often feel during hyperactive moments. However, this usually worsens the feelings of fatigue as the cocaine effects wear off.

Mood Swings

One of the most common symptoms of cocaine withdrawal is mood swings. This second, you’re feeling happy. The next moment, you’re sad and feeling angry unnecessarily. Also, some common symptoms of mood changes include:

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Sensitivity

Even though these feelings are usually intense during withdrawal, they often stop once you pass the withdrawal stage.

Cravings

Cravings

Most individuals withdrawing from cocaine often experience a strong urge to take more cocaine. If you feel this way, it means you’re experiencing cocaine cravings.

Also, cravings are stimulated by the desire to subdue cocaine withdrawal symptoms. Besides that, it’s also driven by the urge to experience cocaine’s high pleasure again.

These cravings can be intense. In fact, they are a big part of why you should not attempt cocaine withdrawal at home. Without professional monitoring, it will be easy to succumb to your cravings.

Problems With Sleep

One of the difficulties you-) experience during the cocaine withdrawal process is sleeping problems. Despite the fatigue, cocaine withdrawal usually causes sleep problems. Some of the issues you may experience with difficult sleep include:

  • Insomnia, i.e. having difficulty staying asleep or sleeping at all.
  • Hypersomnia, i.e. having too much sleep.

Related article: Cocaine Addiction: The Signs and Symptoms

How Long Does Cocaine Withdrawal Take?

How long cocaine withdrawal takes vary depending on the individual’s:

  • Body chemistry
  • Tolerance level
  • Severity of addiction
  • The duration of the addiction.

Although intense, the effects of withdrawal aren’t permanent. The primary phase (crash) of cocaine withdrawal, can differ in intensity and time. Also, it can last from 24 hours to days.

However, like other drugs, cocaine cravings may persist for longer periods. Also, it can still come even after attaining sobriety. Notably, cocaine possesses nearly a short half-life, and cocaine withdrawal symptoms can start as early as 90 minutes after the last dose.

Typically, the cocaine withdrawal process can stretch for a long time. For some, it may only be a few weeks, while for others, it can go on for months. This timeline for cocaine withdrawal is divided into three stages:

Initial Phase

This is a very delicate phase. The time frame in this stage is a maximum of a couple of days. During this period, you may be suffering from intense cravings, weakness, pains and aches. This is one of the reasons why it’s not safe to attempt cocaine withdrawal on your own.

With DIY cocaine withdrawal, you will be short of help, supervision or support. The situation gets worse when you live alone or around people with little knowledge about addiction

Second Phase

At this stage, you’ll feel more relaxed than in the first stage. This stage of addiction withdrawal can last for as many as ten weeks. However, the cravings that come with this phase can also be very intense, just as the body’s general weakness.

Final Phase

Also known as the extinction phase, this final phase is a phase of increased vulnerability. The risk of relapse is high at this stage, especially when there is an exposure to triggers. At this stage, you need more support to keep going on.

However, most of these support systems are available at a professional cocaine detox facility. So, if you’re trying to attempt cocaine withdrawal on your own, then think about the challenges ahead.

Benefits of Choosing Medical Detox for Cocaine Withdrawal

Medical detox can help you safely withdraw from substances with minimal risk of complications. Symptoms like dehydration, increased blood pressure, and seizures can all be life-threatening if the withdrawal occurs outside of a controlled medical environment.

Medical cocaine detox allows you to recover from drug dependence while receiving medical care and supervision. Sometimes, it involves using medication that can relieve and reduce symptoms.

There are several benefits to choosing a medical detox program over attempting cocaine withdrawal on your own. Each one contributes to your sobriety goal and the eventual possibility of quitting cocaine forever.

Here are a few benefits of choosing a medical detox:

It Prevents Relapse

Relapse is a general concern among people recovering from addiction. Not only can it trigger medical and mental health problems. It can also lead to a cocaine overdose.

Going back to what you’ve stopped using, in this case — cocaine, can be risky. Most especially at a time when your body is vulnerable due to detox. In most cases, it can translate into potentially fatal medical problems.

Family Support

One of the topmost benefits of choosing a medical detox is “family support”. Well, it’s no news that getting positive support from loved ones — family and friends during recovery helps boost sobriety. It gives you the necessary positive mindset to stay focused and avoid situations that can trigger a relapse.

Also, your family or loved ones will benefit from the support of a professional detox program. They will learn what to do, what not to do, and how to be your stable support system during cocaine withdrawal. They can also learn about the nature of the addiction, what to expect, how the detox and recovery process works, etc.

Medical Stabilization

When you stop depending on cocaine or crack, usually, you will experience several withdrawal symptoms. In most cases, these withdrawal symptoms can be more difficult if you have underlying mental or physical health conditions. Also, severe and life-threatening acute life-threatening issues that require immediate medical attention may develop.

A professional medical detox program will be able to provide this crucial stabilization. Not just that, the process will also provide ongoing medical monitoring to ensure that you are safe at all times.

Furthermore, the detox centre can also provide medical regulation and changes, medical emergency care, treatment of underlying issues that may increase your safety risk, etc. All of these are reasons why it’s not ideal to attempt cocaine withdrawal on your own. For your overall safety, it’s better to choose medical detox today.

Peer Support

Other residents at a cocaine addiction treatment program can also provide a unique level of support. You don’t have to feel lonely or isolated. Going through your detox procedure at a professional detox centre gives you access to more people like you. People who are going through the same process you’re going through.

Hearing stories, learning from their mistakes and successes, and having someone to talk to when times get rough are all benefits of a professional cocaine detox centre. These people will understand you, hear you out, and you can form a good bond with friends you make there.

Aftercare

Cocaine withdrawal treatment programs often provide aftercare support and referrals. This ensures that you continue to have the ongoing recovery assistance you need to stay sober even after returning home.

For most people, this step in the recovery process is one of the most critical processes. Aftercare provides room for a successful beginning in sobriety to turn into a permanent future.

Make The Right Choice for Detox

Well, the severity of your cocaine addiction, as well as the type of substance used, will determine what type of detox is most appropriate for you. However, the many benefits of professional medical detox show that it’s a better option than to attempt cocaine withdrawal on your own.

Ultimately, detox is invaluable. However, it’s only regarded as the first element of substance abuse treatment. With proper medical detox, you’re opening the door to a thorough recovery journey and full sobriety with little or no faults at all.

Crack cocaine as well as cocaine are dangerous substances and highly addictive. They can destroy your physical and emotional health. Also, the lingering effects of cocaine abuse can increase your risk of suicide, self-harm, and depression. Don’t stop after detoxification and withdrawal — seek help today for cocaine addiction and abuse. Call 1000 Islands Addiction Rehab & Treatment Centre for addiction treatment programs.

Related article: The Harmful Effects Of Cocaine