Methamphetamine, or meth, is a stimulant that possesses many of cocaine’s characteristics. What sets this drug apart from coke, however, is the way it works. In fact, its addictive properties frequently contribute to male meth relapse during recovery.
What Makes Meth so Addictive?
As noted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, although both cocaine and methamphetamine are stimulants, the synthetic substance doesn’t metabolize as quickly. When you take meth, it stays in your system—and therefore in your brain—longer. Since the drug stimulates the brain’s reward center to release dopamine at a much higher rate than cocaine, and because the drug remains in your system for only a day, addiction or a meth relapse potential increases.
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Men who seek validation and approval at the workplace may reach for the stimulant to overcome fatigue. Addiction may start if a physician prescribed a low dose for weight loss. Since the product decreases appetite and makes increased activity possible despite minimal sleep, the drug easily appeals to someone with tight deadlines and work-related stresses. However, a comprehensive rehab program makes a recovery possible.
Dealing with the Aftermath of a Meth Relapse
If you’ve slipped up in spite of your best intentions, you’re not alone. Meth affects the brain on a molecular level, making it more difficult to remain clean before, during and after rehab. Also, certain events may have triggered a lapse in judgment. But where do you go from here?
- Do you need detox? If you’re still using, consider a detoxification stay. When monitored by medical professionals who can intervene to ease symptoms, the body’s withdrawal from the drug is more comfortable.
- Would inpatient rehabilitation make sense? Depending on your mindset, you could benefit greatly from taking time off and spending it in a serene setting that lets you focus on your recovery. During this period, individual counseling, group sessions, and similar support structures assist you with charting your course to recovery once more. At that time, you’ll also have an opportunity to learn how to handle the triggers that brought on your relapse.
- Does an outpatient treatment setting work best for you? If you don’t have the ability to get away from your daily life, you can still benefit from outpatient treatment. Select an intensive setting that encourages participation in a qualified rehab center’s support network activities. Because you’ll work directly with a counselor who understands recovery from personal experience, you’ll hit the ground running and avoid pitfalls along the way.
The worst place to go after a meth relapse is nowhere. Staying home, hoping the cravings will go away, and hiding your hurt from others doesn’t help your recovery. Instead, it may drive you to use even more.
Getting Help Today is Possible!
Don’t put off getting help any longer. Running from a meth relapse is impossible. Dealing with it is your best bet for continued recovery and healthy living. Serenity Lodge in Lake Arrowhead, California offers evidence-based treatment and relapse prevention programs that can help you overcome your meth relapse. When you look back on this time a few months from now, you’ll appreciate your personal growth and how far you’ve come in your recovery.
Don’t allow a meth relapse to rob you of a quality recovery experience. Call Serenity Lodge today at (855) 932-4045.
