Despite extensive efforts to combat its usage, meth continues to rise. Just watch your nightly news or read the newspaper and you are sure to hear about some problem or issues in your area caused by meth. The good news, however, is that there is life after drug abuse and a detox for meth may just be what your loved one needs to get them clean and back on track to a healthy and productive lifestyle.
Meth Use Signs
Addicts of all types learn fairly quickly how to hide their drug use, but that does not mean they don’t show some very distinct signs that can tip off their loved ones that they are using meth. The following signs include:
Sleeplessness
Unexplained energy
Increased energy
Withdrawn
Money problems
Stops performing their daily activities
You may also find that your loved one starts to develop tooth and gum issues. This is often called meth mouth, and a dentist can identify drug use immediately upon examination. Other signs to look out for our rapid weight loss, scabs, and scars from picking at the scabs.
Getting Help for a Meth Addicted Loved One
The meth abuse statistics are alarming. Over 12.3 million Americans ages 12 and older have tried methamphetamines at least once, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The silver lining to that heartbreaking fact is that you are not alone, and you don’t have to go through this by yourself. There are many different resources out there for people who have are seeking help for their loved one.
Seeking an Addiction Intervention
Some people decide to have an intervention without first seeking the help of a professional. While this may work in some instances, the chances of the intervention being successful increases when you have a professional helping you with the intervention. They have the firsthand experience and tools to safely and effectively navigate throughout these often volatile experiences, and will start building the solid foundation that is desperately needed for long-term recovery.
Family is Vitally Important
Far too often, the family of meth-addicts turn their back on the drug user. That is not to say they did not have good reason. Meth addicts, as are all drug users, are known to steal from and put their loved ones in danger. There drug use put a huge strain finically on their families, and the stress that their actions cause can have a negative impact on the health of their loved ones. Despite all their past behavior, however, meth addicts need the positive support and love from their family in order to successfully recovery from the hold meth has on them. The chances of an addict experiencing long term recovery increases when they have a solid support system in their life.
Tackling Meth Addiction as a Family
The importance of family in the recovery process cannot be stressed enough. They will need their family standing with them throughout all the trials and tribulations that they will face. But you must remember that they may experience setbacks that leave you feeling frustrated and hopeless. You can help combat this by managing your expectations of their recovery. Just because your loved one has entered a treatment for their addiction does not mean it’s all downhill from here. Their recovery could be slow going, or they may even experience a relapse. Just try to stay positive and focus on the end goal of your loved one beating the addiction and starting a new life without meth.
Arm yourself with Knowledge
One of the first things you can do to help your meth-addicted loved one is to learn as much about meth and addiction as possible. Research, research, research. When you armed with information, you are more capable of being positive about recovery and more likely to support your loved one’s difficult journey of getting clean. Learning about addiction and drug use also helps avoid the blame game that families often find themselves in when dealing with meth use within the family.
Take Care of Yourself
Often times, the family and friends are so caught up in the life of the addict that they themselves neglect their health and well-being. And dealing with a meth addict can quickly take its toll on both your physical and mental health. That is why it is vitally important that you don’t lose or neglect yourself during this whole process.
Recovery is a long and often painful road, and your meth-addicted loved one is going to need you there to help support their efforts to get clean once and for all.