Crystal Meth Detox Facts

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You may have seen many news reports and TV shows displaying the devastating effects of crystal meth use and addiction. The most surprising fact may be that meth is not physically addictive. You read that correctly – it does not create a physical dependence like narcotic drugs and alcohol can.

Its destructive effect gives strong testimony to the power of psychological addiction. Up ahead are more important and incredible facts about crystal meth detox. If meth addiction ever touches your life in some way, you’ll want to know more about it.

How Crystal Meth Addiction Happens

Even though crystal meth isn’t physically addictive, it can have long-reaching effects on a person’s body. Meth over-stimulates the brain’s release of dopamine, one of the main chemicals in the body associated with feeling pleasure.

When you have a lot of dopamine being dumped into your system, that’s taken as a sign that things are good. Dopamine is part of the body’s reward system. Your brain wants you to do more of the things that create so much dopamine. That’s the natural chemical that helps create the euphoria of a meth high. After just a few uses, most people become all-consumed with getting more meth. This is the beginning stage of a meth addiction.

Quick Facts About Crystal Meth Detoxification

Now that you know the basics about how meth addiction works, take a look at some quick facts about crystal meth detox.

Detox Is Primarily For Psychological Withdrawal
Detox is used primarily to help a recovering meth addict cope with the emotional symptoms. But make no mistake – the human brain is very powerful. Emotional regulation is so important to a person’s well being, and the lack of pleasure during meth detox can be very tough to deal with.
Stimulants tend to depress a person’s appetite and reduce their ability to sleep. This is not surprising since many over-the-counter diet and energy pills use these side effects to their advantage. But using meth is like taking many times more stimulants than is found in the ordinary diet pill. During the first few weeks of recovery, most addicts do two things most of the time – eat and sleep.

Lack Of Pleasure Very Difficult Part Of Drug Detox

By artificially spiking the body’s reward system, meth does the body a huge disservice. It renders a person virtually unable to sense pleasure for the first several months of their recovery. The most dramatic drop in pleasure is usually in the initial detox period when meth has just left their system. It can take a couple of years for the body’s natural reward system to kick in again.

Some Develop Depression During Crystal Meth Withdrawal

People need support, supervision, and sometimes medication to get through crystal meth detox. The facts show that some people even develop depression at this point. No matter how it starts, depression can’t be ignored. To simply throw someone in rehab without giving the proper detox help can be a big mistake.