Author: Gary Jackson

Meth Withdrawal Symptoms, Timeline & Detox Treatment

When you stop using meth, though, your brain is left without enough dopamine or serotonin, causing withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms fade as your brain replenishes its store of dopamine and serotonin. Dopamine and serotonin are two chemical messengers called neurotransmitters that can affect a range of things, including your mood, sleep cycle, and digestive process. Meth causes your brain to release its stores of both these neurotransmitters, contributing to meth’s pleasurable effects.

  • You can have serious side effects and health problems from drug use.
  • These feelings, called withdrawal, can last from several days to a few weeks.
  • But others may opt for, or even require, supportive care to manage their symptoms.
  • This kick-starts various processes that function to bring the brain chemistry closer to what it was before a person began taking methamphetamine.
  • But treatment can help people safely detox and prepare to transition to inpatient rehab.
  • You can have a toxic or deadly reaction when you take too much meth.

However, individuals may not fully recover executive and motor function, attentiveness, memory and learning ability for up to four years. No medications are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating meth addiction. But some pharmacological treatments have shown promise in reducing meth use. Bednarczyk is the director of the Center for Health Outcomes, Pharmacoinformatics and Epidemiology.

Signs and Symptoms of Addiction to Meth

If someone stops using methamphetamine, the brain must quickly adapt to this change. This kick-starts various processes that function to bring the brain chemistry closer to what it was before a person began taking methamphetamine. If you’re concerned about your drug use, help is available.

crystal meth withdrawal symptoms

During this phase, there will also be a sharp decline in an individual’s cognitive, or mental, function and overall energy levels. Treatment for crystal meth withdrawal symptoms, as seen in long-term meth addicts, often consists of supportive measures also. However, due to the increased severity of the meth withdrawal symptoms, there are additional precautions.