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Methamphetamine treatment is approached in much the same way as other drug addictions. But while the disease of addiction is the same with all drug types, methamphetamine addicts may find relapse prevention more difficult in comparison to other illegal drugs.

One attraction to methamphetamine, or crystal meth, is the sense of alertness and euphoria it brings. The problem is that methamphetamine changes behavior and has the power to rapidly destroy even the most successful individuals in society. But even if an individual is aware that addiction is a problem, the ability to work or study longer can make that an annoying side effect.

It is also a drug used among teens and young adults in social situations to enhance and prolong the “party”. Mixing drugs and alcohol has become a dangerous trend with these groups, driving a rise in overdoses and deaths. Unfortunately, along with the sense of alertness that attracts use, the low price and high availability make methamphetamines easy to obtain.

Self-medicating is also a problem that affects those with co-occurring mental health and substance addiction problems. Sufferers of bipolar disorder and ADHD report feeling “normal” after using crystal meth. Many of them forego therapy and become addicted, unaware of the damage the drug is causing.

These aspects of methamphetamine use are very tempting to the addict newly recovering from drug addiction. Since these relapse triggers cross socio-economic boundaries they should be addressed with any crystal meth addict in treatment.

Tarzana Treatment Centers provides adult and adolescent detox and treatment services for methamphetamine addiction. We also provide mental health treatment as part of our commitment to offering Integrated Behavioral Healthcare services.

Below are highlights of a report on the rise of methamphetamine treatment admissions from the Office of Applied Studies at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

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• According to SAMHSA’s Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS), the primary methamphetamine/ amphetamine treatment admission rate in the United States increased from 10 admissions per 100,000 to 52 admissions per 100,000 population aged 12 or older between 1992 and 2002.
• Smoked methamphetamine/amphetamine is often referred to as “ice.” In 1992, 12% of primary methamphetamine / amphetamine admissions reported smoking as the primary route of administration and 39% inhaled the substance. By 2002, 50% reported smoking as their primary route of administration for methamphetamine / amphetamine and only 17% inhaled it.
• In 2002, 19 States had rates in excess of the national rate (52 admissions per 100,000 population): 10 States were in the West, 7 were in the Midwest and 2 were in the South. The highest rates were in Oregon (324 admissions per 100,000), Hawaii (217 per 100,000), California (200 per 100,000), Iowa (198 per 100,000), Wyoming (167 per 100,000), Nevada (156 per 100,000), Washington State (150 per 100,000), and Arkansas (125 admissions per 100,000 population).

— Source: http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/2k4/methTX/methTX.cfm —

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles makes a daily effort to find treatment news articles that we can share with our readers in the alcohol and drug treatment community. The external content was found among other articles of equal informational and educational quality.