How to stop using meth

Meth is one of the hardest drugs to quit, and it’s one that traditional rehab clinics have struggled to treat. If you’re wondering how to stop using meth, if you have tried meth rehab treatment without success, or if you know someone who needs help with meth addiction, Affect’s digital outpatient treatment program works. You can quit using meth without going to rehab.

If you’re using meth and want to take control of your life again, Affect is here to help. Our program was specifically designed for people who use stimulants like meth. It ranks in the top 1% of all treatment providers and has proven to be twice as effective as traditional treatment. With the right support and motivation, our members quit using meth and start building healthy, happy lives as they form new habits.

Is meth addiction dangerous?

Methamphetamine (meth) is a highly addictive drug that can have serious health consequences for people who use it. Using the drug – even just a few times – can cause memory loss, aggression, and psychotic behavior.

Longer term use often results in permanent damage to your heart and brain, malnutrition, and severe dental problems. Meth misuse has also been shown to contribute to increased transmission of infectious diseases, such as hepatitis and HIV/AIDS.

Increasingly, street meth is laced with fentanyl, which is lethal in very small quantities. Just one dose can kill someone in a matter of minutes. Meth and fentanyl are now the number one cause of fatal overdoses in the United States.

Why is meth addictive?

Meth is addictive because it rewires your brain’s system that produces happy feelings. When you take meth, it releases a flood of a chemical called dopamine, which makes you feel great. Your brain loves this feeling and wants more of it.

The problem is that after using meth for a while, your brain gets used to it. So, you need more and more meth to feel as good as you did before. This is called building up a tolerance.

If you try to stop, your brain is no longer producing dopamine on its own so you feel sad, tired, and anxious without taking meth. These feelings are called withdrawal, and they make you want to use again just to make them go away.

Meth affects how your brain works in the long run. It changes the way your brain is wired. Even things that used to make you happy don’t feel as good anymore.

The good news is when you stop using meth, the brain recovers and starts to rewire itself. Brain scans show signs of healing after just one month of not taking meth. After a year, brain scans begin look very similar to a person who has never taken meth at all.

Do I need to go to rehab to stop using meth?

“Rehab” or “rehabilitation” is short-hand for a variety of traditional treatment options, usually offered in physical locations that range from residential hospitals to outpatient clinics with daily scheduled sessions. While these types of programs offer intensive care, they can be difficult for people to attend, due to work, childcare, transportation, or financial limitations.

People generally do not need to go to “detox” for meth addiction. Stimulant use does not result in dangerous physical withdrawal symptoms the way opioids and alcohol do that require supervised withdrawal management in a hospital or rehab facility.

Affect was designed to make treatment accessible to anyone, anywhere, without going to rehab. Our program is entirely digital and delivered through a smartphone app, which means you can do it from home or work, in the city or in the country. We accept both employer and Medicaid insurance, so you don’t have to worry about high healthcare costs. It’s convenient and cost-effective, but it’s also complete, ensuring you get care that is supported by science and is customized for your needs.

It’s very, very hard to quit using meth on your own. Meth is one of the most addictive of all drugs. It hooks you fast and quickly changes your brain to make you completely dependent on it. The cravings are intense and the withdrawal is harsh. It takes professional help to stop using meth for good, and finally there is help that works.

Affect’s program was designed specifically to treat stimulant addictions like meth. It uses research-proven techniques and was created by some of the best researchers and scientists in the field of addiction treatment.

Research has proven that the best way to beat meth addiction is to stimulate the brain’s system in other ways, and the most effective method is by winning rewards for doing things that help you quit. This method is known as “contingency management.”

To understand how it works, think about how you win points and beat levels in a game and how good it feels each time you do. The more you win, the more you want to keep playing. And even when it gets hard to beat a level, you keep going until you get that victory. Contingency management turns your recovery into a kind of game you don’t want to stop playing. Along the way, you start developing new healthy habits.

It is very common to relapse while recovering from meth addiction, and this is why traditional rehab clinics with strict abstinence requirements have failed to treat it. Research shows that gradually reducing use over time works better for stimulants like meth and cocaine, a method addiction specialists call “harm reduction.”

Traditional methods developed primarily for alcohol and opioid addiction use certain medications to help people gradually reduce their dependency. But, there are no FDA-approved medications for the treatment of meth addiction. There are medications that Affect’s medical team can prescribe to help reduce depression, anxiety, and also manage cravings where it’s appropriate.

Does Affect’s program work to beat meth addiction?

Yes it does. Affect’s digital program is shown to be twice as effective as traditional methods to treat meth addiction and help people quit.

Our members dramatically increase their number of sober days in just the first month. Their energy and health improves and their brains start to recover. With the help of licensed addiction counselors, members explore the roots of their addiction and learn how to identify and control triggers without feeling the need to use meth. As withdrawal symptoms fade and healthy habits are formed, our members rebuild their lives as they recover from meth. You can read what they have to say about our program.

Affect’s program is also unique in supporting “whole recovery” of our members’ lives. Care teams include advocates who provide members with support for housing, employment, healthcare and more.

Are you ready to stop using meth? Reach out and talk to us to find out more, or download the app and try it yourself.