Ice Addiction Treatment
Ice is a street name for crystal methamphetamine, a powerful and highly addictive stimulant. It appears as clear, chunky crystals resembling ice, hence the nickname.
People use ice by snorting, smoking, or injecting it. Ice increases dopamine levels in the brain, leading to intense euphoria, heightened energy, and increased alertness. The drug is incredibly addictive and often leads to a cycle of bingeing and crashing.
Ice, or meth, use is a major concern throughout Australia, with 1 per cent of all people aged 14 or older having engaged in ice use between 2022 and 2023. This mirrors concerning trends in drug use throughout the country.
While drug and alcohol addiction are prevalent throughout the country, people can get help. At Sivana Rehab, we make it our mission to help people overcome the use of ice or other drugs and retake control of their lives.
What is Ice Addiction?
Ice addiction refers to the compulsive use of crystal methamphetamine, a potent stimulant. This addiction develops quickly as users seek the intense euphoria and heightened energy levels that come with taking the drug.
With prolonged use, people can build a tolerance to the drug, which leads to requiring higher doses to achieve the same high, which then leads to physical and psychological dependence.
Recovering from ice addiction can be complicated, and treatment programmes typically involve a combination of behavioural therapies, counselling, and social support. Comprehensive recovery requires comprehensive medical and psychological intervention to address both the addiction and its root causes to help people stop using ice.
What are the Effects of Ice Use?
Meth addiction can have numerous effects on a person’s mental and physical health. Many people who have become dependent on ice can suffer various short-term effects and long-term consequences as a result of their drug use.
What are the Short-term effects of Using Ice?
Ice can have immediate and intense effects. Some of these effects include:
Euphoria
People who use ice often do so because of its euphoric effects. Meth can give users a sense of happiness, and the desire to feel this again and again is what drives addictive behaviours.
Increased Energy
Using meth can increase a person’s energy and put them in a state of wakefulness. This may lead to insomnia and restlessness.
Appetite Suppression
Using crystal meth may suppress the desire to eat. Indeed, many people who are dependent on ice often experience dramatic weight loss over the course of their addiction.
Rapid Breathing
Using crystal meth may suppress the desire to eat. Indeed, many people who are dependent on ice often experience dramatic weight loss over the course of their addiction.
Rapid Breathing
The use of ice may cause some people to breathe faster than normal.
Hyperthermia
Methamphetamine use can increase a person’s body temperature.
Paranoia
Some people who use ice may become more anxious than they normally are, paranoid, or overly suspicious of the people around them.
Belligerence
Ice use can also make people more irritable or aggressive. This can cause them to act belligerently towards other people.
Increased Libido
Some ice users may experience an increase in sexual arousal.
What are the Long-term Effects of Using Ice?
Some of the most concerning effects of methamphetamine addiction are not immediate but generally come about with long-term use. However, given how complicated recovery from ice addiction can be, many users will inevitably struggle with these effects. Some of the long-term effects of ice addiction include:
Meth Mouth
Meth mouth is a collection of tooth and gum diseases that can result from using any form of methamphetamine. Meth is corrosive and can damage the teeth’s protective enamel, which is not something that can be restored. Ice dependence can also disrupt saliva production, which can further degrade a person’s dental health.
Hallucinations
Using meth can cause a person to hallucinate. They may see, hear, or even feel things that aren’t there. One of the most troubling hallucinations that meth users may experience is ‘meth mites.’
Some people who use ice may experience the sensation of bugs (mites) crawling on or under their skin. This can result in scratching, which can lead to wounds or sores.
Neurological Damage
The long-term use of methamphetamine can cause significant neurological damage, which can affect a person’s emotions and decision-making abilities.
Cognitive Impairment
Similar to the above, meth use can lead to problems with memory, focus, and problem-solving.
Cardiovascular Problems
Methamphetamine use can increase the risk of heart attacks, arrhythmias, and other cardiovascular problems.
Infectious Disease Exposure
Many people who use ice inject the drug into their bodies. This puts them at risk of exposure to diseases such as HIV and hepatitis, as users often share needles.
More Severe Withdrawal
Withdrawal symptoms tend to be more severe the longer drug use goes on. Long-term use of the drug ice can complicate the detox process when a person does come to the decision that they need to seek treatment.
Treatment for Crystal Methamphetamine Use
While ice can be a difficult addiction to overcome, recovery is possible. With the right addiction treatment programme, one that is personalised to the patient’s unique needs, a person can overcome their use of methamphetamine and manage their cravings. Some of the treatment options for ice addiction recovery include:
Intervention
Often, people who struggle with substance misuse do not realise the extent of their dependence, or they don’t know how to begin getting help. Many times, their loved ones come together to show them the extent of their addiction and compel them to seek treatment. An intervention is often the first step towards recovering from alcohol and drug addiction.
Inpatient Care
Inpatient involves taking a person who is engaged in alcohol or drug abuse and inviting them to a rehabilitation centre. While in this centre, they will not have access to any drugs aside from what the care team deems medically necessary for them. The purpose is to eliminate all traces of the drug from the body and stabilise the individual to remain sober.
Ice Detox
Detoxification is the process by which a body is purged of all illicit substances. This process can be uncomfortable because of withdrawal symptoms, but it is a necessary first step in a rehabilitation programme.
Therapy and Counselling
Therapy and counselling are essential elements to overcoming addiction. By going to sessions, a person can delve into the underlying causes of their addiction and develop healthy coping mechanisms to manage their cravings.
It should also be noted that methamphetamine use can be the result of unaddressed mental health issues, and therapy can be an effective tool in helping people recover from mental illness.
Support Groups
Support groups can aid in addiction recovery in numerous ways. One way is by offering social support, as it’s not uncommon for people to form connections within support groups.
Another way it can help in treating addiction is that some members within a group may be further along in their recovery than others, and they can serve as examples for other members to emulate.
Aftercare
Treatment for addiction does not end with inpatient care. Relapse is common with many forms of substance abuse, and many people in recovery will relapse within a year after treatment. Addiction is a disease, one that’s often chronic. There’s no permanent cure for it, but it can be managed with the right help and support.
To minimise the risk of relapse, rehab centres offer aftercare programmes so patients can continue to receive support after they leave inpatient treatment.
Withdrawal Symptoms of Ice
Detoxing from ice isn’t as easy as stopping and never using it again. For people with ice dependence, their bodies and minds have become acclimated to the presence of the drug, and its absence can cause withdrawal symptoms.
These symptoms can vary based on the drug, but a rule of thumb is that withdrawal will have the opposite effect of ingestion.
Some of the symptoms of ice withdrawal include depression and anxiety. Disturbed sleep patterns, such as insomnia or excessive sleep (hypersomnia), frequently occur, disrupting a patient’s ability to rest.
Withdrawal from ice can also cause cognitive impairments, such as difficulty concentrating and memory loss. Furthermore, users may suffer from body aches and general discomfort.
In severe cases, a patient may experience psychosis, which is characterised by hallucinations and paranoia. These symptoms can last from a few days to several weeks, depending on the user’s level of dependence and overall health.
Because of these symptoms of withdrawal, people need to have medical supervision when they try to stop using ice or any other drug.
Get Treatment For Ice Addiction Today
Many people who struggle with addiction can feel as if their situation is completely hopeless, that there’s nothing that can be done about their dependence. But that’s simply not true. Dependence on ice can be difficult to overcome, but it is possible to get off the ice.
Our drug and alcohol addiction treatment centre is located in Canggu, Bali. Not only is our residential treatment facility nestled in a tropical paradise, but it also offers world-class care and a controlled environment where you’re away from the triggers and stressors of your day-to-day life, allowing you to focus wholly on your recovery.
Our team of expert treatment providers will work with you to address the underlying causes of your substance misuse and help you develop healthy coping mechanisms to maintain your sobriety once you return to your normal life.
We’ll be there for you every step of the way during the recovery process. There’s nothing to be afraid of, so don’t hesitate to contact us if you are concerned about your or a loved one’s ice usage.