Amphetamines are commonly abused prescription drugs that pack some unique but intense withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms can include depression, fatigue, extreme hunger, mood swings, drug cravings, nightmares, and anxiety or panic attacks. Long term symptoms of withdrawal can even include psychological issues such as paranoia, hallucinations, or auditory hallucinations. Because of these withdrawal symptoms, many people look for ways to cope or even avoid them. While there are many ways available, these are 5 tips for coping with amphetamine withdrawal that can are very useful.
Wait it out
Amphetamine withdrawal symptoms can vary from person to person both in intensity as well as the number of symptoms a person will go through. For many, the withdrawal symptoms may be more of an inconvenience and annoyance. According to an international study conducted by the Australian Department of Health, participants of their study indicated that amphetamine withdrawal symptoms lasted anywhere from as few as five days to as long as three weeks. For those individuals who don’t have severe withdrawal symptoms, or may lack family support, or cannot afford clinical assistance or do not have any free clinics close by, waiting out the symptoms may be the best option available.
Family Support
Spending time with loved ones and picking up healthy hobbies can help you get through withdrawal.
Regardless of how a person decides to face withdrawal from amphetamines, having a strong support structure will make any struggle more bearable. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, the family has a central role in the treatment of any health problem including substance abuse. While some families may assist by coming to family therapy sessions should the person be getting counseling, others can provide support by providing a listening ear when the person is struggling through withdrawal.
Scrubbing your environment
Having a firm resolve to never abuse amphetamines again can help a person cope with withdrawal symptoms; however, it is also recommended that the person take the time to sterilize or scrub their environments free of amphetamines. Relapse is always possible and studies have found that relapse often occurs within four weeks because of the availability of amphetamines and boredom (Department of Health, Australian Government). By making sure that the home is cleaned out, , the person will have a harder time relapsing as the drugs are not readily available.
Become involved in new activities
Perhaps one of the hardest things of coping with withdrawal from amphetamines is dealing with the fact that there won’t be a way to suddenly hit the euphoric state or hyper alertness level that amphetamines tend to provide. Often a person will feel lost or feel that their life lacks luster and has become dull. To deal with this, one thing the person can do is take part in new activities, new hobbies, and meet new people. By introducing natural highs into their lives, abusers may find that they no longer crave the high from the drugs and instead crave the happiness found in their new activities and friends.
Rehabilitation Clinics
For those who simply can’t cope on their own, rehabilitation clinics are available to help deal with amphetamine abuse. These clinics can be free or come at a cost; however, all will provide various forms of treatment that include ways to cope with withdrawal.
