Crystal Meth: No Current Medication To Stop Addiction

[HenrySmith]

I read these journal links and found Crystal Meth known as ''Ice'' has no rehab or therapeutic medication like methadone or suboxone for oipates to reduce addiction and thus not curable. Hence, its abusers almost always remain hooked forever and die early without having a chance break the habit So I was just wondering, why does one of most commonly abused drugs which contributes to so amny problems including HIV infection has no effective treatment and how are abusers coping. I found these links pretty interesting.


Articles:

Meth Withdrawal Sparks Depression, Anxiety
Brain Changes Similar, Researchers Suggest
From NIDA News Release
Updated January 06, 2004

Meth Withdrawal Sparks Depression, Anxiety


Methamphetamine Withdrawal and Addiction Recovery by a Staff Member
by slbts — last modified Nov 16, 2009 01:35 PM

Methamphetamine Withdrawal and Addiction Recovery by a Staff Member — Sober Living by the Sea





Methamphetamine FAQ

FAQ about Methamphetamine


Mthamphetamine Withdrawal:

Methamphetamine Addiction | Effects

[DecBaby]

I dont beleive just because there isnt a medication for this specific addiction, doesn't mean one has to "cope" with continuing to be an addict. Do all alcoholics ONLY stop drinking without Antabuse? Do all opiate addicts use methadone or suboxone to saty off opiates? NO! So, I think if one wanted to quit crystal meth, you can without any "medication". And come on you can't go to rehab for meth addiction? Whatever.

[least]

I read these journal links and found Crystal Meth known as ''Ice'' has no rehab or therapeutic medication like methadone or suboxone for oipates to reduce addiction and thus not curable. Hence, its abusers almost always remain hooked forever and die early without having a chance break the habit

I don't think any addiction is 'curable' as the addict always has the possibility of relapsing and falling back into addiction. HOWEVER, it IS possible to just stop using drugs, including meth, with or without outside help, and choose to stay clean and sober, thus achieving recovery.

I don't think there is a 'cure' for any addiction other than to stop using drugs/alcohol. As to meth addicts 'almost always' remaining hooked, I don't believe that is necessarily true. There are people here on this site, in this forum, who have quit using meth by various methods and are choosing to stay clean from it.

You seem to see addiction as an 'outside' influence on people, and thus their always being addicted. That's what rehab/counseling/AA/NA are for: to help the addict break the addiction and live a better life without using drugs.

[Impurrfect]

((Henry)) - JMO, but addiction isn't "curable". I've got 3 years clean in a few weeks, done a bit of everything, but crack cocaine was my DOC, but I am, in no ways, "cured". Today, however, I have no desire to use - haven't in quite a while.

The idea of people remaining "hooked forever" or dying early is, IMO an idea come up by someone who doesn't want to work at recovery.

Hugs and prayers!

Amy

[Lenina]

Henry,

I'm trying to understand your agenda. You've posted multiple threads and all seem to reflect your sense of futility about overcoming addiction. If you read around SR, you will see many, many people who have freed themselves from the chains of addiction.

How can we help you?

Love,

Lenina

[least]

has no effective treatment

The 'effective treatment' is to stop using the drug, with or without outside help.

I don't understand your agenda either. What is it that you want from this site?

[HenrySmith]

Originally Posted by DecBaby

I don’t believe just because there isn’t a medication for this specific addiction, doesn't mean one has to "cope" with continuing to be an addict. Do all alcoholics ONLY stop drinking without Antabuse? Do all opiate addicts use methadone or suboxone to stay off opiates? NO! So, I think if one wanted to quit crystal meth, you can without any "medication". And come on you can't go to rehab for meth addiction? Whatever.

Thanks for your insight, but crystal meth is far different from other drugs because of its neuro-chemical imbalances caused by ''permanently disfiguring, imbalancing, and destroying the dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine receptors in brain and thus ''Automatic functions controlled by the brain become altered, leaving long-term users with arrhythmia, hypertension, or weakened heart walls. Blood vessels located in the brain can also experience permanent damage, leading to brain hemorrhage and stroke. The immune system itself can become compromised, after years of malnutrition and chemical deficiency. Some research studies have even found that crystal meth can contribute to the onset of Parkinson’s disease, due to the severe neurological damage caused by long term use''

Permanent Neurological Damage From Crystal Meth | Sober Place


In order to beat the crystal meth addiction ACCORDING TO THE PAT MOORE FOUNDATION which is among the to counselors of severe crystal meth addicts, the following is listed as lifelong repulsive behaviors

1. full-blown toxic psychosis (often exhibited as violent, aggressive behavior). This violent, aggressive behavior is usually coupled with extreme paranoia.

Hence, even in rehab, they may be too dangerous to work around with or provide care for or could in denial to the point they actually become hostile toward their caregivers and downright make feel as if they are part of their problem by not offering them ways to solve their problem that includes some form of their 'meth high' in an alternative way.

In fact, according to ILLINOIS ATTOPRNEY GENERAL for example, meth addicts are so dangerous and aggressive that they have the highest suicide, murder, and violent crime rates such as murders, weapons, arson, property, etc of all drug abusers and are likely to cause massive lab explosions, fire hazards, and LIFE SPAN RANGE AS LITTLE AS 5 YEARS AND ONLY 5% ARE ABLE TO STAY OFF FOR ANY TIME PERIOD.

Illinois Attorney General - Meth and Crime

Burnsville, MN - Official Website - Meth Information


2. An explanation of the brain’s reward system is important to understanding the addiction to methamphetamines.

'' explanation of the brain’s reward system is important to understanding the addiction to methamphetamines. When monitor cells in the brain have been stimulated, a signal is sent to the tip where a small amount of this reward chemical is released. The chemical or neurotransmitter then reaches and stimulates the reward center, causing a feeling of well-being. When the amphetamine molecule comes in through the blood stream, it bypasses the natural nerve cells and causes the artificial release of normal, chemical messengers for positive feelings. Amphetamines lie to both the Reward Center and to the monitor cells in the brain. The cell adapts to the excess stimulating effect of amphetamine by shutting down production of the natural stimulatory chemistry, to try to keep a balance. This short-circuits the survival mechanism, because the reward center cell can't tell the difference between the drug and the natural chemical messenger. Often the result is addiction and dependence to the immediate, fast, and predictable drug that caused the effect. A meth user’s brain is less able to make life’s normal rewards work for them anymore.''

Pat Moore Foundation | Crystal Meth - The Fatal Cycle of Meth Addiction



So the, I have some questions of my own. I know this forum like the thousands of others remedies out their is intended to talk, find ways, address, and solve problems in passive way without going over the medical lines which isn’t qualified for is a strong method, But I also believe intending to give anyone advice that any remedy, treatment, therapy, or personal choices can cure addiction gives people a false sense of hope and certainty that after a certain point in a therapy, everyone is gone, over, and well when in fact, that’s where they relapse and start over again.

I also believe many of approaches are too time consuming. Many crystal meth and other addicts for example need very quick, rapid, speedy, and professional cure early on to prevent progression and if you wait too much after that, chances are next to zero. Many problems give hope, but not nearly fast enough to overcome the changed hormonal, neuro-chemical, and physiological imbalances that has occurred which require far more than just talking, coaching, and saying I will. These people could die the next day from an overdose, self caused fire, heart attack or stroke, or perhaps being murdered if someone knows they regularly have plenty and they need some as well for their addictions. Thus I believe the following is necessary.




''THIS IS WHAT IS BOTHERING ME'' I've been thinking about these things? THESE QUESTION HAVE MY MIND ABOUT TO EXPLODE.

Therapy and applies to many other

1. Isolation: Can crystal meth addiction therapy be solved without isolating the person indefinitely from accessibility and even if it did work once the person returns to their violent gang, neighborhood, toxic boy/girlfriend inducing them, or returning severe socioeconomic depressed conditions, are they likely to stay off and follow through forever or become succumbed by all those problems and get hooked again.

2. Does crystal meth or other addicts who abuse are incarcerated for 2 or more years become forced to beat their addiction since access will not be available. Does jail even break their habits and many of those return even after serving 5 years or more and do crime again as well!

3. When an crystal meth or addiction is caused by severe chemical, hormonal, chemical, sexual, or psychological changes or impairments in the body and there is no effective rehab drug available to reduce the addict tolerance to near zero or caused them to become addicted to the rehab drug, HOW IS IT POSSIBLE for counseling to work in way that all these imbalances just go away. Can talking somehow turn into a healing which eliminates the imbalances and learned behavior by the body to crave such?

4. How is it possible to be certain that a crystal meth addict or any other addicts whose entire bodily balances, functioning, and structural imbalances causing them to not be able of making rational choices outside their influence to their addiction really wants to be helped.

What causes their bodies imbalances and damages to tire of drug or addiction influence so much as to the fact it forces them to regress, resist, or even deny their calls for action are reasonable.

Does their call for help really means their body is overwhelmed, stressed, and damaged so much and near death rather than trying to heal from all those toxins and it can take it anymore and producing special effects to prevent further death causing damages.


5. How is it possible for counselors who haven't been addicted to same drug they abuse, misuse, or coping or even a doctor without such first hand experience with that addiction and actually beat it be able to give informed advice on such matters? Could this be the reason so many rehab programs last only short term, get them addicted to the rehab drug, or fall off completely.

6. Even if you can beat a drug addiction and return to normal life, are you better off? Many people who recover or thought to have long criminal records with felonies which means they can't good jobs and live in , live certain places, can't vote, or have the freedoms they intended to, what about family, they probably stole, abused, and did great harm that has harm their relationship to be back with the family, what about health, their body still has damage and impairments that can't be fixed, what about all their past associations, do you think they will just accept their character or turn away from inducing them again with drugs.

Wouldn't this mean their hope would still be limited and for a better life, they any turn to crime drugs, violence, or other quick ways to survive since they couldn’t with bad their histories.

7. What about their love or first love? If it requires a breakup due to not be able to do drugs anymore, how would they go on and be normal in such a failure. Would they ever know how to love someone else just's as much as their first with all that happening and feeling of worthlessness that may bring them back to drugs to sustain the relationship and make more of it. Could they tolerate a failed first love or deep love jsut for the sake of getting clean for some time frame.

8. If drugs were use to relieve pain, pressure, or discomfort from health concern like back pain, cancer, headaches, anxiety, depression, weakness, obesity, low sexual stamina or even adjusting a changed sex state like transgender, or anything and the load is too great on them and hampers their life too much after discontinuing drug abuse and their prescribed medicines isn't doing what their drugs did, what will they do to replicate the feelings and comfort the drugs they abused to minimize them.

How can be normal with such chronic health or drug debilitating ailments without their addiction at least coming back on occasionally.

9.If it's indeed true drug addiction can't be cured and treatment centers aren't aware that their therapies and methods are not effective or could actually being contributing to a legal addiction from an illegal addiction, what other alternatives exist fro drug addicts to try to control their impaired and imbalanced health and drug addiction state.

10. If its indeed true drug addiction can be cured and treatment centers plans of action still doesn’t permanently end the addiction, why is it called a getting off an addiction or implying their is a cure which helps contribute to some drug addicts waiting a very long time to seek help because they believe it will go away forever and never return when in fact, its only a control mechanism and their addiction will be a life long debilitating habit that they will control but fail to overcome.

What does ending addiction or curing addiction mean then if a 100% disappearance of it doesn’t happen because emotionally, the person can’t accept suffering like in mentioned in point 8 or physiologically, or the body is too impaired, damaged and imbalanced to wear off and completely eliminate the pathways caused by the drug abuse so that the person’s body behaves in a way that consistent that making they feel a certain way without their other ailments hindering them negatively regardless rather it's pain, stress, disease, or unncessary worries.

[DecBaby]

Henry are you addicted to crystal meth? I am here to offer support to those in need. Not debate. Beleive what you want to beleive and I will do the same, I have no interest in arguing about it. If you would actually like help with something, please let us know so we can assist you.

At this point I don't know if your addiction is crystal meth, cocaine, or Oxy. Each thread you post is different so I am having a hard time understanding.

[HenrySmith]

Originally Posted by DecBaby

Henry are you addicted to crystal meth? I am here to offer support to those in need. Not debate. Beleive what you want to beleive and I will do the same, I have no interest in arguing about it. If you would actually like help with something, please let us know so we can assist you.

At this point I don't know if your addiction is crystal meth, cocaine, or Oxy. Each thread you post is different so I am having a hard time understanding.

It’s been all of those. They have been off and on and each works a little differently except that all produce that ''intense rush, high, and satisfaction'' that is short lived. I just have question the rehabs I have been in or least people I have talked to doesn't meet the criteria I discussed in prior post and I don't want to walk in circles over and over.

I not like other addicts who stay with one things forever, I change up frequently and never let one drug permanently remain my wonder drug. I used them for different needs some of which worked better for others and had their own advantages which were short lived. Now I need help

[Lenina]

Henry,

I mean no offense here, but you are sorta going around it circles. With addiction, there's always going to be plenty of internal debate. For me, that debate kept me from getting well for a long time. I came to realize the internal debate was a part of the addiction, the part of addiction that serves itself.

Love,

Lenina

[suki44883]

You need a medical doctor. We are not qualified to help you. Please see a doctor.

[DecBaby]

Many addicts switch drug addictions. Some even will take whatever is available to get them some sort of high.

Do you want to quit? In my opinion, you need to get off the drugs in any way possible and focus on living with HIV. Don't disillusion yourself into thinking continuing using is some how making your life better.

[least]

Now I need help

In my opinion you are not going to get the help you need from a recovery site like SR, especially since you deny or refute any suggestions or information we give you. As Suki said, several times, SEE A DOCTOR! As long as you continue to only see what you want to see, you will continue to have problems.

[HenrySmith]

Originally Posted by DecBaby

Many addicts switch drug addictions. Some even will take whatever is available to get them some sort of high.

Do you want to quit? In my opinion, you need to get off the drugs in any way possible and focus on living with HIV. Don't disillusion yourself into thinking continuing using is some how making your life better.

Yeag I will get of, in my deathbed. Once I get off, I have many of these opportunistic infections from HIV progressing to AIDS.

Bacterial and Mycobacterial
Mycobacterium Avium Complex (MAC, MAI)
Salmonellosis
Syphilis and Neuroshyphilis
Turberculosis (TB)
Bacillary angiomatosis (cat scratch disease)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fungal Infections
Aspergillosis
Candidiasis (thrush, yeast infection)
Coccidioidomycosis
Cryptococcal Meningitis
Histoplasmosis

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Malignancies
Kaposi's Sarcoma
Lymphoma --
Systemic Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL)
Primary CNS Lymphoma

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Protozoal Infections
Cryptosporidiosis
Isosporiasis
Microsporidiosis
Pneumocystis Carinii Pneumonia (PCP)
Toxoplasmosis

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Viral Infections
Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
Hepatitis
Herpes Simplex (HSV, genital herpes)
Herpes Zoster (HZV, shingles)
Human Papiloma Virus (HPV, genital warts, cervical cancer)
Molluscum Contagiosum
Oral Hairy Leukoplakia (OHL)
Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Neurological Conditions
AIDS Dementia Complex (ADC)
Peripheral Neuropathy

YOU SEE THEM ALL. Boy, the pain will more than sting 24/7 seven then will they not. The addiction is not about the drug, but the relief, comfort, or action is does to minimize discomfort. If there was anotehr way I could do to get the same effects without health risks, i would, but thet are no where.

The only option for some drug addicts like me is assisted suicide. If the drugs don't kill me, then the HIV will, if not the HIV, other medical conditions will, if other medical conditions will not, withdrawal will, if withdrawal doesn't will nor, seeeking inconsistent advice will and it may be quicker than any of the others by taking quick, big, or risky of a step and the body breaks down for good!

[Lenina]

Henry,

I wish you well. Please see a competent doctor.

Love,

Lenina

[least]

I wish you well. Please see a competent doctor.

Me too. I'm outta here as I can't offer you whatever it is that you want...

[Toronto68]

Henry, I have a temptation that I am going to give in to right now, and that is to believe (again) that you are fake.

You'll be surprised to know that I don't even hope your posts get deleted, because you bring out useful information in the reactions. People won't be wasting their time on you if they do respond, they'll be investing their time in someone who reads this and finds themselves again - like me, a drug addict addicted to alcohol. There are several people watching every day, learning and getting help, and I am thankful for that.

Thank you Henry.

[Mark75]

Originally Posted by HenrySmith

The only option for some drug addicts like me is assisted suicide. If the drugs don't kill me, then the HIV will, if not the HIV, other medical conditions will, if other medical conditions will not, withdrawal will, if withdrawal doesn't will nor, seeeking inconsistent advice will and it may be quicker than any of the others by taking quick, big, or risky of a step and the body breaks down for good!

That is because it's the only option you see. Everything else is too hard for you. Now, if you could change how you see things, you'd realize that you are still alive, you are clearly functioning on a reasonably high intellectual level, and you seem to understand your diseases relatively well...

If you want sympathy, well I don't know how to help you with that.

If you want to recover from drug addiction, well, there is some experience strength and hope around here.

Which is it?

Mark