Meth Detox
Methamphetamine is a powerful man-made stimulant that goes by various street names, including “ice” due to its crystalline appearance. The drug can be snorted, injected, smoked or taken orally, and is highly addictive. Initially, the user experiences an intense rush of euphoria and heightened energy, which impacts the neurotransmitters, dopamine and serotonin. The brain’s reward system registers the experience as a pleasurable one, setting the individual up for future ice abuse. Repeated use of meth quickly results in increased tolerance to the drug’s effects, leading to ever-higher meth dosing.
It isn’t long before someone struggling with an addiction to ice begins to witness the toll the drug is taking on their mental and physical health, as well as the devastation caused in their life. A destructive cycle of abuse sets in, including meth binges called tweaking. Tweaking refers to the individual not sleeping for days at a time who then develops a sort of temporary psychosis.
Ice addiction is one of the most challenging addictions to overcome, with 92% of those who completed detox relapsing. Anyone who has read or seen the movie version of Beautiful Boy learned about the intense grip the drug had over Nic Sheff, who succumbed to repeated relapses before eventually beating the ice addiction. It is possible to successfully recover from an ice addiction, with the first step being detox and withdrawal. When considering undergoing detox from this drug, some may inquire how to detox from ice at home.