Crystal Meth Addiction & Rehab

Crystal meth is one of the most addicting substances because it stimulates the part of the brain that perceives rewards. When someone takes the drug, their body believes that they are doing something beneficial for it, and their brain responds accordingly. Once someone stops taking the drug, their brain may respond through mood swings such as anger or extreme depression. The drug itself is powerful, and addiction related habits can be some of the most difficult habits to break alone. It’s for this reason that rehabilitation programs are so important, as they provide the much-needed guidance and support when it comes to addressing reliance on addictive substances.

Find The Best Crystal Meth Rehab

When determining possible avenues for rehabilitation, it’s important to consider all variables and outcomes that may come up throughout treatment. Different options are important to consider in order to receive the most effective treatment upon undergoing rehabilitation. Rehabilitation programs overall can vary from each other in a myriad of ways. Learning as much as possible before committing to a rehabilitation program can help make the transition in to entering a rehabilitation program easier.

Two of the most readily available options when it comes to finding a rehabilitation program, and something that is to be considered when researching possibilities, is the difference between an inpatient rehab facility and an outpatient rehab facility.

While both do offer care and treatment for a vast amount of addictions, the treatment programs and overall setups are things that should be thoroughly researched and carefully examined before a decision is made.

Do you need Inpatient or Outpatient Treatment? 

The monumental differences between inpatient rehab treatments and outpatient rehab treatments are, in fact, present in their names. In the most basic terms, inpatient rehabilitation primarily involves the patient residing on the rehabilitation facility premises, and outpatient rehabilitation involves the patient partly (or entirely) residing elsewhere other than the facility.

Inpatient rehabilitation programs oftentimes include some variation of detoxification, or detox During this time, the patient is carefully weaned off the addicted substance, which can sometimes lead to withdrawal symptoms.

For many substances, this withdrawal period can have extreme and life-threatening effects. It’s for this reason that detox is always recommended to be undergone only when there is an experienced medical professional present.

In many different inpatient rehab facilities, the second step of the process is to undergo psychological treatment to then address the possible issues that may have originally lead to substance abuse. Inpatient programs generally have a daily schedule, upon which strictness may vary. Distractions that may be present during daily living are noticeably not present throughout the inpatient rehab process. In fact, those who choose inpatient facilities are provided with access to medical staff close to twenty-four hours a day while residing in the facility.

How Long is Inpatient Treatment?

According to Addiction Center, inpatient rehabilitation programs may last anywhere from twenty-eight days to six months; this may also depend on whether an individual is going through their medical insurance or paying other ways for the treatment program.

It’s also important to remember that each inpatient center will have different policies not only regarding length of stay, but the amount of contact provided with the “outside world” so to speak. Family support and contact is understood to be very important to the rehabilitation process, and is encouraged by inpatient treatment facilities, but the amount of contact and how contact is made may very from facility to facility

Outpatient rehabilitation programs, just like inpatient programs, differ according to the variety provided for outpatient rehab treatment. The different types and severity of addictions, the duration, and the overall life commitment of the patient when it comes to rehabilitation are all factors that are taken in to consideration with outpatient rehab.

Similar variations of treatment programs that are employed to inpatient rehab facilities are also present in outpatient rehab facilities. This can include individual therapy, support groups, group therapy, life-skills workshops, and excursions.

For some outpatient programs, the patient may be required to take weekly drug tests to ensure that they are not relapsing while away from the treatment facility.

It has been noted that for patients who may have multiple addictions or multiple diagnoses, outpatient rehabilitation may not be the best available option. However, this is something that is to be determined by both the individual and the medical professional being consulted in order to find the best rehab facility available.

What is a Residential Facility?

Residential facilities are oftentimes considered to be the most effective rehabilitation treatment program. Residential facilities provide twenty-four hour care in a setting where the main focus is maintaining sobriety and overcoming addiction.

Treatment for Crystal Meth Rehabilitation is Confidential

Drug rehab confidentiality is an important concern for many who are considering treatment for substance abuse. Issues that arise going in to the facility as a result of treatment and substance abuse are oftentimes personal, and individuals are rightfully concerned that what is shared will remain private.

Overall, rehabilitation programs differ as to their treatment programs and rules, but there is one constant that remains the same: treatment centers are required to maintain patient confidentiality.

The U. S Department of Health and Human Services reaffirms the fact that under HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996), a patient is given their rights to their health information and are allowed to set rules and limits upon who is allowed to see and receive any information pertaining to their health. This means that when undergoing treatment for substance abuse, any information relating to the health of the patient, or something that is told in confidence to any medical professionals on staff, are not allowed to be shared without having specific patient permission to have that information released.

What Happens in Crystal Meth Rehab

People who are participating in rehab treatment programs for crystal meth have most likely already gone through a detox process, as it’s impossible to continue with treatment while having the drug in their system.

The first step in many treatment programs address detox. In this portion of the program, the patient may experience the following symptoms: drug cravings, intense itching, insomnia, psychotic episodes, and exhaustion.

Those who go through crystal meth detox on their own have an extremely high risk of relapse, as it’s understood that as soon as they experience these symptoms, merely taking the drug once again will make the side effects go away. This can lead to a never-ending circle of attempting to detox, finding the side effects to be too much to handle, and then relapsing.

A medical professional is also recommended because if an individual goes through detox and then devolves in to a psychotic episode, they or others can be seriously injured.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, while there are no specific drugs available to help the crystal meth detox and rehabilitation process, there have been some pharmaceutical drugs that allow for some of the possible side effects to be lessened. One such drug, known as AV411 or ibudilast, was seen to reduce potential pain while having minimal drug abuse potential.

Different rehabilitation programs have different methods of drug rehabilitation. Treatment plans are highly individualized, and the counselor available will more than likely take into consideration the following factors: how long the abuse has happened, how motivated the individual is to pursue sobriety, the support system in place for the individual and how reliable they are while the individual is in recovery, the individual’s employment and mental health, and the individual’s overall physical, mental, and emotional capabilities.

With this information in mind, a counselor or other professional will be able to come up with a comprehensive treatment plan that will benefit the individual. There are some different therapy models that may also be included in the individual’s treatment, one of which is known as the Matrix Model.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the Matrix model was originally established in the 1980s and has demonstrated an efficiency when it comes to helping to abstain from substance abuse. This is a sixteen-week program that has both group and individual therapy, and has many different elements involved with it such as addressing how to prevent relapse, an incorporation of family communication, establishing a healthy environment, and behavioral changes.

Another prominent model is the Motivations Incentives for Enhancing Drug Abuse Recovery (MIEDAR). This uses an incentives based approach to help cocaine and meth abusers maintain abstinence and avoid relapse. It’s currently being developed to be taught to multiple treatment centers and continue its success.

Cost of a Treatment Facility

The cost of addiction treatment can vary depending upon the treatment center. Some programs have no fee, while others can cost up to thousands daily; however, no matter the budget, there are opportunities available for anyone who is looking to begin their own treatment plan.

Most rehabilitation facilities offer some sort of financial support or treatment plan. Certain types of insurance may also cover treatment costs such as Medicaid, Medicare, state financed health insurances, private health insurances, and military insurance. For those who are without insurance, there are also financing options available in some select rehabilitation facilities, and even free or low-income rehabilitation centers.

Overall, the cost may be a frightening factor when it comes to rehabilitation, but the benefits are far greater and more important.

When to travel for Treatment

There are times when rehabilitation facilities are not locally available or do not meet the standards or requirements a patient has. However, it’s in this case that insurance providers may be able to assist by finding treatment facilities that are still covered under their plans while also in a different location.

In order to be an effective treatment facility, they must address the individual’s rehabilitation needs. If this means relocating to a treatment facility that can benefit the individual in a greater way than local facilities, then this is something that may need to be considered when it comes to treatment and rehabilitation.

Some disadvantages may be that it’s far from the individual’s family and support system, there may be difficulty in setting up an aftercare plan in a city the individual is not a resident of, and upon returning there may not be a local support system in place. It’s important to take everything into consideration—the good and the bad—when it comes to traveling for treatment.

Staying Clean after Treatment

There is an unfortunate statistic in crystal meth rehabilitation that, according to the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, a total of thirty six percent of patients who undergo a crystal meth rehabilitation program relapse within six months of their release.

It’s for this reason that having an ongoing care plan is so important after being released from treatment. Having a community support group to help maintain sobriety is also a recommended outcome after treatment.