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Suggest Ways To Wean Off Methamphetamine

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Posted on Mon, 12 Dec 2016
Question: Hello Addiction related Doctor,
I have been addicted to meth, via smoking it primarily for 4 years. I desperately want to stop. I have sought recovery through my provider and they wouldn't allow me into their 9 week intensive program because they felt the best success would come after a 30 day residential program. I'm sure a residential program WOULD be more effective, however I am unable to leave my home for that long. I must do an outpatient program of some kind. I do NOT like NA or AA (been throught it all before) however I DO want group support and fellowship. I've tried the alternative, LIfespring, and found it an odd program. Do you have any recommendations on how I can get clean? Any book or other media that you can offer me as guidance? Also, can sudden acute hip an thigh pain be caused by Meth use. I have injected it before a few times.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman (2 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Several points.

Detailed Answer:
There are several stages to the addiction process. First is the realization that maybe it isn't a good idea. To reinforce this, getting the hip evaluated In This Context has many benefits. There are a lot of reasons for hip pain in this context and many are quite serious even potentially fatal (infection for example). One of hte more likely is loss of blood flow to the muscle and/or bone and a small area of gangrene with loss of the structure.

Identification that thoughts/emotions/triggers that keep you hooked are not your friends. In this context, there are reasonable statements that also are not your friend and keep you stuck in the same spot. Here are several examples of those:
"I'm sure a residential program WOULD be more effective, however I am unable to leave my home for that long"
" I do NOT like NA or AA (been throught it all before)"
" I've tried the alternative, LIfespring, and found it an odd program"

Treatments that are transformable down to saying "drugs are bad, don't use them" have been found to be unhelpful. Avoiding them (putting the means to get them as far away as possible), substitution (easy in narcotics, hard with stimulants), and transformation (putting the same exact thoughts/feelings/triggers/problems into a larger context) are all I've come up with as being helpful.
Residential programs are both avoiding (good) and transform (good). NA can be transform if you bring all your drug contacts into NA meetings with you and bring the NA contacts into the rest of your life. Furthermore, getting up and reading a prepared statement is one of very few things found to change behaviors and opinions (basis of re-education camps, cults, deprogramming, basic training, and quite a lot of other programs).
It isn't easy with stimulants. If it helps, I can detail that they are worse than people think they are. Mainly getting into a larger context outside of oneself and getting the availability of the drug harder are effective methods.


Note: In case of any other concern or query related to prevention, evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, or the recovery of persons with the any type of addiction or substance use, follow up with our Addiction Medicine Specialist. Click here to book a consultation now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman

Addiction Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :1985

Answered : 4214 Questions

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Suggest Ways To Wean Off Methamphetamine

Brief Answer: Several points. Detailed Answer: There are several stages to the addiction process. First is the realization that maybe it isn't a good idea. To reinforce this, getting the hip evaluated In This Context has many benefits. There are a lot of reasons for hip pain in this context and many are quite serious even potentially fatal (infection for example). One of hte more likely is loss of blood flow to the muscle and/or bone and a small area of gangrene with loss of the structure. Identification that thoughts/emotions/triggers that keep you hooked are not your friends. In this context, there are reasonable statements that also are not your friend and keep you stuck in the same spot. Here are several examples of those: "I'm sure a residential program WOULD be more effective, however I am unable to leave my home for that long" " I do NOT like NA or AA (been throught it all before)" " I've tried the alternative, LIfespring, and found it an odd program" Treatments that are transformable down to saying "drugs are bad, don't use them" have been found to be unhelpful. Avoiding them (putting the means to get them as far away as possible), substitution (easy in narcotics, hard with stimulants), and transformation (putting the same exact thoughts/feelings/triggers/problems into a larger context) are all I've come up with as being helpful. Residential programs are both avoiding (good) and transform (good). NA can be transform if you bring all your drug contacts into NA meetings with you and bring the NA contacts into the rest of your life. Furthermore, getting up and reading a prepared statement is one of very few things found to change behaviors and opinions (basis of re-education camps, cults, deprogramming, basic training, and quite a lot of other programs). It isn't easy with stimulants. If it helps, I can detail that they are worse than people think they are. Mainly getting into a larger context outside of oneself and getting the availability of the drug harder are effective methods.