New Treatment For Meth Addiction

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Very preliminary results would indicate that Ibudilast may dampen craving and improve cognitive functioning, said Dr. Aimee Swanson, co-investigator on the trial and research director at the UCLA Center for Behavioral and Addiction Medicine.

The approval of the second phase of testing, which will be funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, comes at the heels of the positive outcome of the first trial on meth-dependent participants in an outpatient situation.

During the first clinical trial, UCLA Center for Behavioral and Addiction Medicine researchers administered Ibudilast to 11 subjects who were addicted to methamphetamine. The 11 volunteers were paid and were not necessarily seeking meth-addiction treatment. Upon completion of the trial, the UCLA researchers deemed Ibudilast was safe, prompting the FDA to fast track it until its second phase of clinical trial testing.

Typically, the FDA uses the fast track process to accelerate the review of a drug needed for a serious disease in order to get the new medication to sick patients faster.

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Can Drug Addiction Be Treated

Yes, but its not simple. Because addiction is a chronic disease, people cant simply stop using drugs for a few days and be cured. Most patients need long-term or repeated care to stop using completely and recover their lives.

Addiction treatment must help the person do the following:

• stop using drugs
• be productive in the family, at work, and in society

Which Medications Are Effective In Treating Methamphetamine Use Disorder

No medications have been approved by the Federal Drug Administration to treat methamphetamine use disorder. However, some medications are currently being tested, and the research is promising.

The medications that might be beneficial in helping you recover from methamphetamine use disorder are injectable naltrexone and oral bupropion . More research is needed to be able to confirm this and to approve medication-assisted treatment for methamphetamine use. For now, psychosocial treatments like the ones above remain the frontline treatments for this disorder.

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Methamphetamine Research Reportwhat Treatments Are Effective For People Who Misuse Methamphetamine

The most effective treatments for methamphetamine addiction at this point are behavioral therapies, such as cognitive-behavioral and contingency management interventions. For example, the Matrix Modela 16-week comprehensive behavioral treatment approach that combines behavioral therapy, family education, individual counseling, 12-step support, drug testing, and encouragement for non-drug-related activitieshas been shown to be effective in reducing methamphetamine misuse.33,34 Contingency management interventions, which provide tangible incentives in exchange for engaging in treatment and maintaining abstinence, have also been shown to be effective. Motivational Incentives for Enhancing Drug Abuse Recovery , an incentive-based method for promoting cocaine and methamphetamine abstinence, has demonstrated efficacy among methamphetamine misusers through NIDAs National Drug Abuse Clinical Trials Network.35

Although medications have proven effective in treating some substance use disorders, there are currently no medications that counteract the specific effects of methamphetamine or that prolong abstinence from and reduce the misuse of methamphetamine by an individual addicted to the drug.

What Are The Long Term Effects Of Meth

The effects of meth use are different for each person, depending on a wide range of factors, including:

• How often a person uses meth
• How much meth a person uses
• Whether the user is combining meth with other substances
• The ingredients in the meth
• The overall health of a person

Some of the most common long term effects of meth include:

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Effects Of Meth Addiction

Because methamphetamine use attacks the central nervous system, the effects of the drug can set in very quickly, instantly in fact. Side effects of meth use are similar to the warning signs listed above. Things such as tooth decay, skin changes, weight changes, etc., can be easy to spot. However, crystal meth also has some serious and lasting effects that can be very dangerous or even fatal.

Methamphetamine can make the body temperature rise extremely high and can do so very quickly. This can cause a person to pass out or, in some cases, die. Meth users are also at higher risk of contracting diseases like HIV because they can engage in risky behaviors when on the drug, such as unsafe sex or intravenous drug use. Violent behavior can impact relationships and well-being, while psychotic behavior and paranoia can be long-term, affecting the mental health of the user for the rest of their life.

Crystal Meth Addiction: New Treatments On The Horizon

Home | News | Crystal Meth Addiction: New Treatments on the Horizon

Crystal meth addiction is an incredibly challenging disorder to beat, and many people struggling with this substance use disorder are left wondering how to get off of meth safely and effectively. However, there are new, groundbreaking treatment options that could help you begin your journey toward recovery.

With this new treatment, you might be left wondering, What is the best treatment for meth addiction? Below, well review the new crystal meth addiction treatment medication alongside existing treatments for substance use disorders so that you can confidently begin your meth recovery.

Contents

• Is crystal meth addictive?

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Is Dependence The Same Thing As Addiction

Dependence and addiction arent the same.

Dependence refers to a physical state in which your body is dependent on the drug. With drug dependence, you need more and more of the substance to achieve the same effect . You experience mental and physical effects if you stop taking the drug.

When you have an addiction, you cant stop using a drug, regardless of any negative consequences. Addiction can occur with or without physical dependence on the drug. However, physical dependence is a of addiction.

What causes addiction?

Addiction has many causes. Some are related to your environment and life experiences, such as having friends who use drugs. Others are genetic. When you take a drug, certain genetic factors can increase your risk of developing an addiction.Regular drug use changes your brain chemistry, affecting how you experience pleasure. This can make it difficult to simply stop using the drug once youve started.

The signs of addiction can vary depending on which substance is used. There are general warning signs of addiction, though, regardless of the substance. Signs you have an addiction can include the following:

Your loved one might try to hide their addiction from you. You might wonder if its drug use or something else, such as stressful job or time in their life.

The following can be signs of addiction:

What Are The Treatment Options For Methamphetamine Use

There are several different evidence-based treatments that exist for methamphetamine use disorder. Although the treatments well list here have all been found to be effective, what works for someone else might not work for you. Recovery is often not a straight line, and its important to try different treatments until you find one that works.

Here are some of the most commonly used methods to treat methamphetamine use disorder. If youre trying to beat an addiction to methamphetamine, talk to your medical provider about starting any one of these programs.

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A Decline In Cognition And Brain Function

When a person continues to use meth, they may experience a problem with thinking or memory. Several cognitive issues can occur, such as deficits in motor skills and thinking, increased distractibility, and memory loss. Brain function starts to break down a little each day, causing more problems for the user.

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Take our free, 5-minute substance abuse self-assessment below if you think you or someone you love might be struggling with substance abuse. The evaluation consists of 11 yes or no questions that are intended to be used as an informational tool to assess the severity and probability of a substance use disorder. The test is free, confidential, and no personal information is needed to receive the result.

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What Is The Meth Medication

Currently, there is no meth MAT program at Bedrock, or any other treatment center in the U.S. Why? Because there are no approved drugs for the use of treating meth addiction.

Although a medical meth rehab program does not currently exist, medications may still be used during your meth rehab program. There are several reasons why medications might be used during your treatment program for meth abuse, even if they are not used to treat the drug abuse directly. Those reasons include:

Treatment For Crystal Meth Addiction

Recovery from crystal meth addiction is not impossible. While the right treatment will vary from person to person, it is possible to achieve a full recovery with a plan that is tailored to the individual.

Treatment will typically involve a combination of several therapies. There are several types of treatment programs for crystal meth addiction, but a program will typically follow a 4-step process:

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Why Is Meth Left Out Of Medication

There are approved drugs to help in the treatment of certain addictions. Most notably, these include addiction to alcohol and to opioids. So, why is meth left out of the list of drug addictions that can be treated with medication?

The answer is simple: there are not yet any drugs that have been approved by the FDA to treat meth addiction. In order to get FDA approved, a drug must go through many studies and trials in order to prove that it is effective. There are currently studies happening for a number of drugs that could work to treat meth addiction.

The process to get a drug approved can take a long time. There is no clear answer as to when or if meth rehab programs will start to use MAT. Fortunately, there are other evidence-based treatments that are very good for treating meth addicts.

Cascadia Offers New Effective Treatment For Meth Addiction

Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare is offering a new and effective treatment for methamphetamine addiction. Part of Cascadias Medication Supported Recovery program, the treatment involves patients taking the only medication combination ever shown to effectively treat meth addiction in a large, placebo-controlled study.

Medication-supported recovery, also known as medication-assisted treatment, involves patients taking medications that have been proven to support the treatment of substance use disorders. Cascadia has offered medication-supported recovery for opioid use disorders since 2018. But until recently, there wasnt much evidence supporting medication-assisted treatment for methamphetamine addiction.

A groundbreaking 2021 study was the first large-scale trial to indicate that a combination of two familiar medications can be effective for some patients living with meth addiction. The two medications are naltrexone, a medication long prescribed to manage alcohol and opioid use disorders, and bupropion, a medication prescribed as an antidepressant and smoking cessation aid.

A 2021 National Institutes of Health study published in the New England Journal of Medicine followed 403 adults who took either the combination of naltrexone and bupropion or a placebo for 12 weeks. The medication combination helped 13.6 percent of patients with their addictions over the course of 12 weeks, while 2.5 percent of the placebo group saw improvements.

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Treatments For Methamphetamine Addiction

The first step in treating methamphetamine addiction is usually medical detox. Overuse and abuse of methamphetamine increases your tolerance, which can lead to physical dependence and, upon deciding to quit, some terrible withdrawal symptoms. For this reason, your healthcare provider will likely recommend medically-assisted detox followed by a form of therapy.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

This type of therapy focuses on shifting behaviors to stop unhealthy patterns.CBT therapy focuses on learning new and drug-free ways to cope with stress in life. It relies on recognizing our own personal reactions to environmental or emotional cues, stopping the negative impulsive response, and adapting with a healthy alternative.

The Matrix Model

The Matrix Model is a 16-week behavioral treatment approach for people who struggle with methamphetamine addiction. It combines behavioral therapy with family education, counseling, a 12-step component, drug testing, and promotion of non-drug-related activities.

Contingency Management Intervention

This addiction treatment method is based on motivation through reward. “Motivational incentives are typically used for the treatment of stimulant addiction and has proven to be effective in helping people recover from methamphetamine addiction,” says Dr. Weinstein.

Naltrexone And Bupropion Promising Combo For Meth Addiction

Pauline Anderson

The combination of naltrexone and bupropion results in a response rate almost six times greater than with placebo in patients with moderate or severe methamphetamine use disorder, results of a new randomized trial suggest.

“For the first time, there’s hope for patients with methamphetamine use disorder who want to change, who want to stop using methamphetamine,” lead author Madhukar H. Trivedi, MD, professor of psychiatry, Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, told Medscape Medical News.

Dr Madhukar H. Trivedi

The results indicate that the combination therapy is safe and effective for use in clinical practice, Trivedi said. “Doctors should look into this carefully, prescribe it and push for getting it reimbursed by payers of patients’ health insurance.”

The study was published online January 13 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The stimulant methamphetamine causes release of dopamine, norepinephrine, and other neurotransmitters, leading to powerful euphoric effects and increased energy. This very addictive drug is mainly used recreationally. It is identified as a Schedule II medicine according to the US Controlled Substances Act.

While numerous studies have looked at many different medications to treat meth use disorder, “unfortunately” they have not been shown to be all that efficacious, Trivedi said.

Identifying effective treatments is an essential public health goal, the authors said.

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Signs And Symptoms Of A Meth Addiction

Only a physician can diagnose a substance use disorder, but there are various signs, symptoms, and side effects of meth use. To be diagnosed with a stimulant use disorder, you would have to demonstrate at least 2 of the following symptoms within a 1-year period:5

• Experiencing strong cravings for meth.
• Having trouble completing what needs to be done at home, school, or work because of meth.
• Inability to stop using meth, even after it has caused or worsened physical, mental, or interpersonal issues.
• Quitting or cutting back on hobbies as a result of meth use.
• Spending a lot of time getting or using meth or crashing after a binge.
• Taking more meth or using it for longer than planned.
• Using meth in situations that can be dangerous, such as while driving.
• Wanting to cut back or stop using but not being able to.
• Developing a tolerance to the effects of meth, where you need to use more to feel the same effects.
• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you stop using meth.

There are some signs of a meth addiction to be aware of if you are worried that you or someone you care about might have an issue with meth. These can include:5,6

• Behavior that is aggressive or chaotic.
• Burns on fingers or lips from smoking, nosebleeds from snorting, or track marks from injecting.
• Changes in eating and sleeping habits.
• Dilated pupils.
• Talking and moving more than usual.

Reach Out To Bonfire Behavioral Health

At Bonfire Behavioral Health, we have experience helping those who struggle with meth addiction and other substance abuse problems. We also provide our patients with dual diagnosis treatment if we find that they have co-occurring mental health conditions. We provide our patients with all of this to ensure that they can regain their sobriety after addiction. Its not too late to find treatment. at to learn about the treatment options that are available for you or your loved one.

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Long Term Effects Of Meth

The long term effects of meth can significantly impact a persons health and other parts of life. However, getting treatment for addiction from TruHealing Centers as soon as possible can prevent these adverse effects. Regardless of how severe their addiction is, a person who is serious about quitting meth can work toward a sustainable recovery without relapse.

Abusing meth for several months or years can have devastating effects on a persons health, relationships, finances, and career. The long-term effects of meth involve more than just the user. Meth addiction can impact family, friends, and coworkers. As a result, a person may need to get professional help through a meth addiction treatment program. To learn about your treatment options, contact TruHealing Centers today at .

Do You Need A Meth Addiction Treatment Program

There are certain visible symptoms that a person is battling an addiction to meth. For instance, one symptom is speech impairment. You may hear mumbling or stuttering. Alternatively, the person may fail to remember common words. You may also see bloodshot eyes or hear the person complain that their eyes are itchy.

In addition to these fairly noticeable symptoms, you may also want to pay attention to the individuals behavioral patterns. A person who is addicted to meth often loses weight quickly because while theyre under the influence, their appetite tends to disappear. Eating is no longer a priority getting the next dose is. Additionally, because meth is a stimulant, people under the influence of meth tend to sleep very little. They may seem hyperactive or not sleep for long periods of time.

Because the person using methamphetamine isnt sleeping, this drug also has a negative effect on the persons mental state. In the best-case scenarios, the person will experience paranoia, depression, or anxiety. However, long-term meth use can also lead to psychotic behavior, which can result in violence, including homicidal or suicidal thoughts and actions.

If you recognize these symptoms in someone you love, its critical for them to find treatment as soon as possible. Sending your loved one to a substance abuse treatment center could save a life.

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