Meth Rehab Aftercare And Relapse Prevention

1. Is Meth Rehab Aftercare Necessary?
2. The Benefit of Methamphetamine Relapse Prevention
3. Methamphetamine Abuse is a Chronic Condition
4. Continuing Care Options
5. Supporting Family and Friends With Methamphetamine Recovery

What is Meth Rehab Aftercare?

Aftercare is a form of ongoing support, that may include counseling interventions, medical care and/or educational programs that can help one maintain sobriety once treatment is complete.

Is Meth Rehab Aftercare Necessary?

Recovery from meth addiction is a process that involves the interplay of an individual's actions; societal reactions; and positive and negative life events. This process can be facilitated by ongoing counseling and support, offered once the individual has quit using and is trying to maintain sobriety.

• This phase of addiction treatment--known as 'aftercare'--is aimed at preventing relapse to methamphetamine use and supporting a drug-free lifestyle. Aftercare for methamphetamine is offered after the initial treatment phase and can be extended for as long as needed.
• Some aftercare programs, on the other hand, offer the interventions for a relatively shorter period of time.
• At times, these programs are mandatory, for example for drug-using offenders diverted to an aftercare program for their drug use.

The Benefit of Methamphetamine Relapse Prevention

You are not alone Hear from others on their journey through recovery and relapse

Methamphetamine relapse prevention is aimed at helping the individual prepare to deal with the high risk situations likely to lead to lapse and subsequently relapse. The high risk situations can be internal (mood states, thoughts related to drug use, etc.) or external (interpersonal or other environmental stressors).

The relevance of relapse prevention management in methamphetamine recovery is supported by high relapse rate among those trying to quit. Between 35 and 60 percent of methamphetamine users registered in publicly-funded residential or outpatient treatment programs have been found to relapse with up to 36 percent of these relapsing within the first six months.

Factors associated with increased risk of relapse across studies for meth are:

• Shorter length of treatment.
• Older age of first drug use.
• Involvement in selling methamphetamine.
• Feeling a lack of empowerment.
• Negative affect.
• Poor motivation levels.
• Poor coping skills.
• Craving.

Methamphetamine Abuse is a Chronic Condition

Drug addiction, including methamphetamine addiction, is conceptualized as a chronic disorder; over a long course, periods of remission (abstinence) may be punctuated by the occasional relapse into drug using behavior. While abstinence remains the ultimate goal of any treatment program aimed at addressing methamphetamine addiction, there is more to the process of recovery. Experience with methamphetamine users over the years has shown that relapse is not an unlikely event on the road to recovery, although aftercare helps reduce its chance or delay it.

Similar low rates of treatment compliance are seen among methamphetamine users as well.

• Almost 30-50 percent of adult patients with type 1 diabetes have a recurrence of symptoms each year. A high relapse rate of up to 60 percent has been reported for methamphetamine users.
• This recurrence of symptoms and relapse for chronic medical disorders as well as amphetamines addiction highlight the importance of continued ongoing care that needs to be adapted to the changing needs and requirements of the individual.
• Treatment for diabetes lasts for years, and requires life-long management. Similarly, recovery from methamphetamine addiction requires vigilance and sustained efforts at relapse prevention.

Relapses--while certainly a setback to recovery--are inherent to the concept of all chronic medical conditions. Relapse, if it occurs, should be viewed as a signal to revisit the management plan and make needed treatment improvements.

Continuing Care Options

Continuing care for methamphetamine users refers to interventions offered beyond the initial phase of treatment with an aim to prevent relapse and encourage drug-free lifestyle. Counseling and support, similar to that encountered in a structured treatment program, is continued throughout the aftercare period.

Counseling Interventions / Group Therapy

• 
  Relapse prevention strategies using a combination of motivational interviewing (MI) and CBT have elicited an overall decrease in methamphetamine use and a significant increase in abstinence in the treatment groups (when compared to a self-help booklet control group). CBT techniques for methamphetamine users can be administered successfully in both individual and group settings. Research trials of CBT have additionally reported improvement in co-occurring depression among methamphetamine users post-treatment.

One research study compared the Matrix model--which included 16 weeks of group CBT, group family education, group social support and individual counseling--with treatment as usual and found increased attendance, more drug free individuals as assessed by drug screen monitoring, and longer periods of abstinence during treatment among the Matrix group. Another study assessed effectiveness of relapse prevention and MI among individuals directed to therapy by court. It showed an increase in self-efficacy among the intervention group as compared to the no therapy group.

12- Step Facilitation Treatment

• 
  12-step facilitation treatment for methamphetamine users, known as Crystal Meth Anonymous, is a self help program. It is based on a set of guiding principles outlining a course of action for tackling methamphetamine addiction whereby recovery is sought across multiple domains - spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical. One admits the problem with addiction and being powerless to meth, and works through the subsequent steps. One learns from the experience of others as members are encouraged to share their stories of recovery, and problems they may have encountered along the way. Such 12- step programs have been found to complement the benefits of professional addiction treatment.

Follow-up Medical Care

• 
  The development of medicines for use as aftercare management of methamphetamine dependence is still in its early phase. Different medicines, including substitution agents as well as anti-craving agents, have been explored and have shown promise in preliminary trials. In spite of lack of a well established pharmacological option, aftercare for methamphetamine users still may require follow-up medical care.

Effective management of these health conditions shall warrant follow-up medical care.

Sober Living/ Therapeutic Community

• 
  Therapeutic communities offer a structured program where the individual remains at a residence for an extended period of time. The residents fill important roles as client, role model, counselor, supervisor, and tutor while passing through stages of their own recoveries.

TCs offers a long stay facility to recovering individuals who have quit drug use and look forward to a drug free life. Residents learn through social interaction and the accumulation of successful accomplishments to build self-esteem and self-efficacy - both vital components to strong recovery.

Contingency Management

• 
  Contingency management (CM) aims at preventing or reducing drug use by using positive reinforcement in the form of vouchers or other benefits, exchangeable for goods or privileges and cash rewards for drug free behavior. CM when offered alone or in combination with CBT has been found to improve retention in treatment, more drug free urine samples and longer period of abstinence.

To know more about the aftercare options for meth addiction call us at 1-888-993-3112Who Answers? and talk to a member of our treatment support team.

Supporting Family and Friends With Methamphetamine Recovery

The impact of meth addiction extends beyond the user and can deeply affect family and friends. However, both family members and friends of methamphetamine users can play a great role in the process of recovery from methamphetamine addiction.

• You can get educated on meth addiction and that will help you understand the problem better.
• You can play an important role in improving therapeutic adherence by reminding your loved one of the appointments.
• You can help support an individual's sobriety through emotional support and by being attentive to the possible high risk situations conducive to future relapse.

Caring for a recovering addict can be challenging and emotionally draining. Sharing your feelings with significant others can help all involved parties. Self-help groups exist with the purpose of ushering family and friends of drug users through these potentially tumultuous times.

If you're a friend or relative of someone suffering under the weight of meth addiction, call 1-888-993-3112Who Answers? to inquire more about beneficial methamphetamine addiction treatment options.