Stimulant Treatment And Rehab

Stimulant Addiction Treatment

The most difficult and important step in recovering from any addiction is making the decision to quit. Once you’ve made that decision, there are several options for inpatient or outpatient rehab and counseling that can help you overcome your addiction. If you’re ready to take your life back, reach out to a treatment provider today.

Treatment Centers For Stimulant Addiction

There are many inpatient and outpatient treatment centers across the country that offer the tools necessary to beat addiction. These centers can help those hooked on dangerous, illicit stimulants like meth or cocaine as well as those addicted to prescription stimulants such as Ritalin or Adderall.

Detox From Stimulants

The first step of treating an addiction to stimulants is detox. During detox, doctors manage the physical part of the addiction by getting the stimulants out of the person’s system. Detox typically lasts up to a week, but could last longer depending on the severity of the addiction.

The type of stimulant used affects how long it takes to detox. People addicted to cocaine tend to have a short detox time compared to those addicted to prescription stimulants such as Adderall. Prescription stimulants are designed to last longer and build up in the body over time, so it takes longer for the body to rid itself of them. The withdrawal period for prescription stimulants is also usually longer. Common withdrawal symptoms experienced by people addicted to stimulants include:

• Mood swings
• Depression
• Disturbed sleep
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Intense cravings
• Irritability
• Aggression
• Restlessness

To date, there haven’t been any pharmaceutical drugs formulated for treating stimulant addiction. However, some studies show potential for certain drugs that may reduce cravings and lead to a successful recovery. Two such drugs that may help are Prozac and naltrexone.

• Prozac

  Prescribed for mood disorders like depression and obsessive compulsive disorder, Prozac has shown some limited potential in reducing cravings.

• Naltrexone

  Naltrexone is commonly used for the treatment of opioid and alcohol dependencies, but has also showed potential in treating prescription stimulant dependence.

Inpatient Rehabilitation For Stimulant Abuse

Inpatient rehab is a type of treatment that offers 24-hour supervised care at a live-in facility. Both psychiatric and physical care are provided. Patients typically remain in inpatient rehab for between 30 to 90 days. Before admission to inpatient rehab, prospective patients must complete a substance abuse assessment with addiction professional. The goal of inpatient rehab is to help patients achieve an independent lifestyle that does not involve the use of alcohol or drugs. Inpatient rehab centers typically provide the highest chances of successfully overcoming a stimulant addiction.

Inpatient rehab provides many benefits, including:

• Education about the disease of addiction
• Healthy coping skills for relapse prevention, trauma, anxiety, depression, and other struggles
• Stress management techniques
• Healthy communication skills and boundaries
• Help rebuilding relationships

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Outpatient Rehabilitation For Stimulant Abuse

Unlike inpatient rehab, outpatient rehab does not include a residential or a medical supervision component. However, outpatient rehab can be very useful for patients who have work, school, or family responsibilities that they cannot leave for weeks at a time. There are many types of outpatient treatment programs that vary depending on what the individual patient needs. Typically, outpatient programs require patients to meet several times each week for a few hours, but some programs are more intensive than others.

Outpatient treatment often involves not only group therapy, but also individual and family therapy as well. Specialized therapy types, such as art or music therapy, are often encompassed in these programs. Outpatient therapy is often also used as an aftercare or step-down program upon completion of inpatient treatment to assist the client transition back into their daily life while maintaining their recovery.

Ongoing Treatment For Stimulant Addiction

Ongoing therapy is used to tackle the psychological part of stimulant addiction. Even after withdrawal symptoms and the physical need for stimulants are reduced or over, the compulsive desire to use stimulants is still there. This makes ongoing treatment a must for those in recovery.

Support groups also provide help dealing with the psychological side of addiction. These groups typically center on a 12-step program and provide the comfort of knowing that other people are going through the same thing.