Meth Withdrawal Symptoms, Timeline and Addiction Treatment

Meth Withdrawal Symptoms

Methamphetamine withdrawal can cause different acute and post-acute symptoms in different people. The severity and duration of meth withdrawal symptoms can vary based on different factors, such as someone’s route of administration, dose, drug purity, level of intoxication, their previous experience with withdrawal, the duration they used meth, their history of meth use, and other considerations.³

Acute meth withdrawal symptoms can include:³

• Fatigue.
• Anxiety.
• Irritability.
• Lack of energy.
• Weight gain.
• Dehydration.
• Chills.
• Insomnia followed by hyper-somnia (sleeping too much).
• Dysphoria (low mood) could progress to clinical depression and suicidal thoughts.
• The inability to think clearly.
• Anhedonia (loss of ability to feel pleasure).
• Withdrawing from others.
• Drug cravings.

Post-acute and protracted withdrawal symptoms from meth can include:³

• Depression.
• Mood swings.
• Drug cravings.
• Loss of ability to experience pleasure.
• Psychosis.
• Suicidal thoughts/ideation.
• Fatigue and excessive sleepiness.
• Increased appetite.

Cravings can be significant and challenging to withstand during withdrawal.³ This often leads to a return to drug use or relapse.³

Meth withdrawal symptoms can be extremely uncomfortable and unpleasant, but they are not typically life-threatening.⁵

Meth Withdrawal Timeline: How Long is Meth Withdrawal?

The meth withdrawal timeline is influenced by the same factors that affect symptom severity and can also be impacted by the patterns of someone’s use, such as whether they binge and crash or are a chronic or daily meth user.³ Meth withdrawal typically begins within 24 hours after last use and can last between a couple days to weeks.

• Acute withdrawal symptoms, such as dysphoria, anxiety, and agitation, typically begin and peak shortly after someone’s last use (which typically means within 24 hours after their last use). Acute meth withdrawal symptoms gradually decline over time.⁹ Research reports that acute withdrawal symptoms commonly last 7-10 days, with cravings being the most reported symptom; acute withdrawal symptoms can potentially last up to 2 weeks after a person’s last drug use.⁹
• Protracted withdrawal are persistent withdrawal symptoms that tend to be similar to acute symptoms but are generally milder and more stable. They commonly last an additional 2-3 weeks after the acute withdrawal phase is over.⁹

Why Does Meth Withdrawal Occur?

Meth dependence can happen after repeated use. Physical dependence occurs when an individual uses meth to the extent that the body thinks it needs the substance to function properly. As a result, if someone is dependent on meth and suddenly stops or cuts down their use of this drug, they can develop methamphetamine withdrawal symptoms.¹

When this happens, it reinforces the meth misuse cycle; to prevent withdrawal symptoms from occurring, someone must continue using meth.¹ In addition to dependence, someone can also develop a tolerance to meth, which means they need to use increasing amounts of meth to experience previously-achieved effects, such as euphoria.¹

Withdrawal occurs because of neuroadaptations (brain changes) that occur due to repeated meth use, primarily in the dopamine-reward system.¹ When someone uses meth, their brain releases abnormal amounts of dopamine, the brain chemical that is responsible for feelings of pleasure and reward.

When someone continually uses meth and becomes accustomed to feeling pleasure and euphoria associated with using meth, their “pleasure receptors” are blunted and as a result they have trouble achieving pleasure from naturally occurring things such as food, exercise and sex. As a result of this blunted pleasure effect, this may reinforce their desire to keep using this substance.¹ People who use meth are often unable to experience pleasure from anything other than meth.¹

Meth Addiction vs. Meth Dependence

Meth dependence is a physiological adaptation of the body, wherein the body becomes so used to meth being present in the system that when the individual cuts back on their use or quits, withdrawal symptoms emerge. In other words, the body feels like it needs meth to physically function. Dependence can lead to strong cravings and compulsive use in the absence of meth in order to avoid unwanted withdrawal symptoms.

Addiction (clinically called a substance use disorder) refers to the compulsive, uncontrollable use of meth despite all of the harm that it causes. Addiction encompasses not only physical changes (such as dependence) but harmful behaviors that affect every aspect of an individual’s life. Addiction elicits changes in the brain which impact an individual’s drive, motivation, thought process and behaviors so much that meth use becomes prioritized over all else.

Can Using Meth Once Cause Withdrawal?

There is currently inadequate research to indicate that using meth just one time will cause withdrawal symptoms. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reports that withdrawal occurs when people who chronically use (become dependent on meth) meth stop or cut down their meth use.¹

Meth Addiction Treatment

Professional treatment for meth addiction can provide several benefits. Evidence-based behavioral therapies used in addiction treatment can:³

• Help a patient learn ways to prevent relapse.
• Teach a patient healthier coping and stress management skills.
• Help a patient uncover and work through the underlying reasons they developed an addiction in the first place.

The following are some behavioral therapies can be used to help an individual recover from their methamphetamine addiction:³

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). This helps patients identify and make changes to unhelpful or unhealthy thoughts and behaviors that contribute to their substance abuse. Some research has found that CBT can be especially helpful in treating stimulant addiction when combined with contingency management.
• Contingency management (CM), which involves principles of positive reinforcement. It provides tangible rewards when someone achieves a target behavior (such as a negative drug test) and withholds the reward if the target is not met.

During and following treatment, it’s essential to ensure that a patient receives adequate nutrition and exercise to help them stay healthy throughout their recovery.³

Meth Withdrawal Medications

There are no medications to help with meth withdrawal, nor are there FDA-approved medication treatments for stimulant use disorder.¹  If someone participates in an addiction treatment program, they may receive adjunctive medications to help alleviate some of their symptoms that can arise during withdrawal, such as headaches or insomnia.⁵

Meth Withdrawal Risks & Outlook

The greatest risks of meth withdrawal are potentially severe symptoms of depression and suicidal thoughts, which can lead to a risk of self-harm and suicide.³ Proper monitoring, support, and management are necessary to help people effectively navigate these risks and help them stay safe.³ Meth withdrawal can be complicated by different factors, such as medical issues, mental health conditions, or polysubstance use.³

With proper treatment, people can successfully recover from meth addiction.¹ However, the treatment dropout rate for stimulant addiction is high.³ While entering treatment is important, remaining in and completing a meth rehab treatment program can be crucial to help prevent the negative consequences of meth abuse and addiction.³

Finding Addiction Treatment Near You

Struggling with addiction to meth, drugs, or alcohol? Effective treatment is available to help you reclaim your life and find lasting recovery. At American Addiction Centers, we’ve helped thousands of people overcome addiction and rediscover a life filled with hope and healing.

To learn more about your treatment options, call us at . Our admissions navigators are ready to answer your questions, verify your insurance or go over other payment options, and help you begin your journey to recovery.