Have you been using methamphetamine for several years?

Tuesday, August 9, 2022
author picture Jimmy R. Bélanger
culture

The first months will be the most difficult.

Stopping speed or methamphetamine altogether is the first step to recovery. Half measures or small amounts to try to live semi-normally are a very bad idea and you will tend to relapse quickly. You will have difficulty surviving, you will feel useless and for good reason you will be temporarily unable to do anything, better to feel this helplessness now than to continue in this downward spiral. Just being aware enough of your own situation to end it is already a big step in the right direction.

Pause your life, sleep is the first key, slow down.

You're used to going fast at everything, but life isn't a race and like any driver who overdoes it at a turn, you may have screwed up. You may even have trouble getting to the bathroom. Be aware that these are the worst moments of withdrawal and that the only option you have is to rest, which can last for days or weeks.

With humility, contact a close family member.

When you are in the depths, it may be difficult to make contact with the outside world. You may have had differences with your family, but if you have a lucky star and they really feel you want to get out of this situation, they may be able to help you as much as possible. Tell them the truth about your current situation and hopefully that will allow you to rekindle ties that have long since disappeared. Take the help that is given to you, be aware that no one owes you anything and that they are doing this out of kindness and heart. When you are truly recovered, never forget the help they have given you and try to help them in turn when they need you.

Your perception of yourself and of life in general.

Depending on the level you will be intoxicated. Your perception of yourself and life in general will be altered. You have been using hard drugs for a long time, your sight may be altered as well as sounds. You will not be aware of this at first, but over time you will become aware of the low you have been in. You will feel that some people want to harm your recovery and because of this, when you were using, you may have made inappropriate gestures to other people. Forgiving yourself will be a long process that may take several years, but it is also a sign that you are not a sociopath. Don't martyr yourself with past mistakes but don't forget them completely so that you don't repeat them in the future. When you talk to other people, take the time to listen to them and don't tell them your personal story, although your life has been intense, the world has not stopped turning during your years of consumption. Your brain will make bad connections with your life experiences but I assure you that this bad perception of life will disappear with time if you make the necessary efforts to recover in society.

Close therapy for drug addicts.

You will have several choices of closed drug therapy. Depending on your country, there are paid or free options available to you, with lengths ranging from 28 days to several months. You will sleep on site and your food will be provided by the facility, so pack a bag with your personal belongings and be prepared to dig into your past to understand the reasons that led you to use. You will have access to psychological help, a social worker and a doctor trained for this type of problem. Workshops and activities will allow you to reconnect with other people who have been in similar situations, and tools will be provided to help you stay sober once your therapy is complete. This difficult stage of recovery is necessary, if you can afford it go to therapy for several months. It is important that this one be closed, you will be isolated and you will not be able to go outside this establishment without supervision, you are still fragile, leaving you in the open air in society at times could make you relapse. Although you may be ready to get on with your life and decide to go to therapy voluntarily, some people may have been forced into it by the court system and others are just not ready to go out into the world. Stay friendly with other participants but remain vigilant to protect your sobriety.

I don't live in the United States, so I can't give my personal opinion on this corporation but Sandstonecare seems to be a good therapy option to help you solve your addiction problems.

Support association, new way of life.

I would like to tell you that you can totally recover from drug abuse over a period of several years, but I would be lying to you. Loneliness is your worst enemy, you will need to meet several times a week with an association of men and women who want to get out of it. I can't explain to you the spiritual phenomenon that occurs during these meetings but it works. These meetings are free, anonymous and do not commit you personally in any way, you can go and leave when you want, it is a real live and let live. Your personal journey is your own business, you have no obligation to anyone, you just sit and listen to the meeting. It explains a new way of life through several steps and how to get out of your drug or alcohol problem, to end the meeting a person comes to share their life experience. The names of the associations can vary from one country to another, in general there are specific associations for drug use problems but you will never be turned away in any association, personally in my area the AA group, Alcoholics Anonymous mount welcomed with open arms. With time you will be able to choose a trusted person (also called a sponsor) that you can call in an emergency if you feel the urge to relapse. Talking to members of the association who have been clean for many years will help you realize that it is possible to live a happy life without using substance abuse. Each association offers brochures and literature that can be taken home to deepen your lifestyle learning and improve your understanding of the disease.

Face-to-face meetings are more effective at creating human contact, although with the advent of COVID-19, you'll have more than 3000 online ZOOM meetings available in multiple languages that can help you stay clean one day at a time. To do the online meetings you will need to install the ZOOM application.

For people living in the United States this association is called DAA: Drug Addicts Anonymous, for people living in Quebec it is called NA: Narcotics Anonymous.

Beware of false members, people who place their personal interests beyond the problem of drugs or alcohol have no place in these associations and in your life.

Make an appointment with several specialists.

Your recovery may require the support of different doctors in many aspects of your life. It is often difficult to admit our addiction problem to others but don't be afraid of doctors, they are there to help you.

For your physical health.

After many years of using hard drugs, many different physical health problems can appear. A general practitioner is able to give you a complete and general health check-up. Tell him about your years of use and any physical problems you may have. Personally I had a problem with my hearing, I heard a constant ringing in my sleep, it is known that I suffered from tinnitus, other addicts may have skin problems, diminished vision, whatever your problem is he will be able to improve your situation.

For your mental health.

Before meeting with a psychiatrist, you should bring a list of important issues that you'd like to discuss with them. Discuss any changes or new symptoms you've noticed. Keep a journal so you can track any changes in your symptoms and the quality of your life.

Mental health specialists are really better equipped than general practitioners to help you with your various cognitive disorders. They will be able to better assess your needs in terms of medication. Depending on your country of residence, some consultations may or may not be covered by your social system. Although they have expensive fees, often a few sessions are enough to give you the help you need. The specialists I met at the time took the time to listen to me, they seemed to understand the emotional state I was in, which in turn had the impact of finding me the appropriate solution to my needs. The most important aspect of mental health care is finding the person who supports your goals. Some people focus on developing medications, while others may focus on a particular therapeutic approach.

In addition to mental illness, a psychiatrist may also perform psychotherapy. Psychotherapy involves regular meetings between a psychiatrist and a patient. These sessions are usually conducted one-on-one with the goal of removing or controlling troubling symptoms. The sessions may last from one week to several years, and they can be conducted individually. During these sessions, the psychiatrist will explore the patient's thoughts and other factors that may be influencing his or her behavior.

For your reintegration into society.

Although you may not be in a position to find a stable job right away. The social workers will be able to assess your situation and provide you with the help you need. They will put you in contact with some food organist, they will be able to present you the different social programs that exist in your area in order to get you back on your feet before thinking about a return to the work force. It is a tumultuous stage but necessary to a good recovery, it is possible that the first times you will only be able to work a few hours a day. You will not have the same energy and for good reason, it is better to evaluate your ability to work and ask for a mid-day schedule than to forget about quitting because you will not have the energy to work a normal eight-hour day.

Mental health social workers help people with mental or substance-related problems. Many of these professionals work with patients in a hospital or rehabilitation center and offer counseling services. These professionals often assist their clients in finding affordable long-term mental healthcare. They may also work with community organizations or participate in outreach programs. Social workers are often employed in a variety of settings, from hospitals to nonprofit agencies to community organizations.

Recover effectively one day at a time.

When you are on methamphetamine you feel like you have accomplished many great things in your day and usually you have not or you have unfortunately done everything and nothing by halves. Your days-to-days as a former active addict will seem monotonous and uninteresting at first, but you need to focus on the smaller, more routine things in life in order to pick yourself up. Give yourself small, simple goals such as making your bed, brushing your teeth, cleaning your house, going to meetings, getting some exercise, getting back into good eating habits, reading a few pages of a book, taking naps, and remembering to get a minimum of 8 hours of sleep a day, as your brain needs a lot of sleep to recover. A healthy lifestyle habit that I almost forgot, listening to motivational videos on youtube can do you the world of good. Although all this will seem trivial to you, the accumulation of these small objectives is part of a good lifestyle called traditional. Remember that you are the master of your destiny and no one can harm you if you are willing to make the effort in this regard.

Precautions to take to get well.

Some of your friends may not be ready to get on with their lives, so you'll have to make heartbreaking choices to part with some. Keep the door open if someone you know is ready to come out. Certain places you used to frequent such as bars are not recommended. Addicts have a bad tendency to replace one vice with another. I personally tried to continue drinking without using any drugs but felt that this bad habit could have tipped me over the edge, if you have the chance to avoid alcohol do so. Trying to replace illegal drug use by taking a drug that contains amphetamines is very dangerous, in addition to making you fall back into your old way of life I felt that my brain was not able to handle this type of drug and it was bringing back bad thoughts related to my past, it is possible that you are suffering from ADHD after taking hard drugs every day, if this is the case ask your doctor for a drug that does not contain amphetamines. Coffee is a great stimulant to help you start your day but taking more of it can be disorienting, use it in moderation. Do not take my recommendations literally, everyone is different, trust your body, it will give you the answers you need to continue a healthy life without consumption.

Bad thoughts and learn to forgive yourself.

Depending on the bad situations that will have occurred as a result of your excessive drug use, you may be overwhelmed with bad thoughts and resentment towards yourself and other people you have let into your life. Social networks are filled with empty messages that make no sense, add only trusted people and don't dwell on hateful messages, liking positive posts will change the algorithm of facebook to show you those first. This will help you eliminate the bad thoughts that may come your way throughout the day. The abyss attracts the abyss, no one in the world is perfect, you were the one responsible for your unhappiness during your excessive drug use. Be honest with yourself and look back on your actions, some people may have tried to return the favor and treated you unfairly. Forgiving yourself can take many years, it is a long and painful process. Some things you can try to work out with your past, but others you can never work out. Go forward, try to do your best every day, work on yourself, do good around you when possible, it will be little consolation. You've been blessed to be alive, why not take this chance to get your act together and improve the world around you one day at a time.

To go further in recovery.

To help you recover faster in a healthy way, there are certain food habits or natural products that can help you have a beautiful energy every day. You can change your diet by adding a variety of fruits and vegetables, avocados and fish. Certain products such as UltraClear® RENEW, UltraClear Plus® PH, multivitamins, omega 3/6/9 work effectively to help your body get over your years of bad treatment, it's not miraculous but it does give a good boost to stabilize your energy. For those who suffer from anxiety, GABA is a natural product to relax you recommended by some neuroscientists. Some members with many years of experience that I work with in my association have advised me to include meditation and yoga in my lifestyle, does this practice work? I can't confirm it, but they assure me that it gives them a great inner well-being.

There will never be a conclusion.

This article comes to the conclusion but your life as a hardcore drug addict will follow you all your life. Find a greater purpose in maintaining balance in all areas of your life, find a positive mission no matter what your personal ambitions are. I'm here to reassure you, the more you work on yourself, the black will turn to grey and then to white even if it may take you several years don't give up. You have the right to be happy and if I was able to recover in society despite my setbacks you are capable of it. Don't forget that you are not alone and that there are many tools to get you out of your addiction problem, good luck to you.