Amphetamine Addiction Treatment & Detox

Like many drugs, amphetamines were originally manufactured as a treatment for serious medical conditions. Commonly prescribed for attention deficit disorder and narcolepsy, amphetamines are also misused to promote weight loss and prolonged wakefulness. These drugs stimulate the central nervous system, resulting in feelings of euphoria and increased energy. Amphetamine abuse is a growing concern in this country and requires medically supervised detox and treatment. This page contains essential information about amphetamine addiction treatment.

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How Is Amphetamine Addiction Treated?

If you or someone you love is struggling with amphetamine abuse, there are amphetamine addiction treatment options available. The treatment for amphetamine addiction typically involves three main steps:

Step 1. Amphetamine Detox

When you arrive at a treatment center, the primary goal will be to detoxify your body of stimulants. Clearing your mind and body of harmful substances will allow you to proceed with full stimulant addiction treatment. At first, you may feel life without amphetamines will be impossible, but the detox process will allow you to begin envisioning a life free of these drugs.

Once detox begins, you’ll experience withdrawal symptoms. The severity of the symptoms will depend on the severity of addiction. As the stimulants leave the body, the brain chemistry begins to change as the brain strives to function without amphetamines. As this renormalization process unfolds in the brain and body, withdrawal symptoms can occur, such as:

The withdrawal symptoms can be overwhelming, which is why it’s imperative to seek assistance with amphetamine withdrawal treatment. Attempting to detox at home is often unsuccessful and dangerous and should not be attempted. Discontinuing the use of amphetamines altogether after misuse can result in severe withdrawal symptoms and even death.

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How Long Does Amphetamine Withdrawal Last? 

Because so many different substances are included under the category of amphetamines, the length of the withdrawal period can vary. However the average withdrawal starts on the first day of amphetamine detox and lasts around 1-2 weeks.

For the first few days, a person experiencing amphetamine withdrawal is likely to experience a sudden decrease in energy. This is the body adjusting to the sudden lack of a substance that it has likely learned to rely on to function. 

As the first few days give way to a week or more, withdrawal symptoms will be sporadic and occasionally severe, taking the form of any combination of the physical and mental effects listed above. 

Most symptoms do tend to clear up after 7 to 10 days, but some may linger for a few weeks still. Cravings for amphetamines are still common, even after withdrawal is mostly over, illustrating the importance of undergoing amphetamine detox in a safe, supportive environment. 

Step 2. Residential Amphetamine Addiction Treatment

The acute period of withdrawal is only several days, but the long-term symptoms can last several days. Residential amphetamine addiction treatment is, therefore, the best option for most people, especially if you have experienced prolonged reliance on amphetamines or if you have other mental disorders. Residential treatment is always the best treatment for meth addiction. When you are identified as a candidate for residential treatment, you will live onsite for the duration of your recovery and will receive daily care and medical observation.

While living in the residential addiction facility, the staff will work to maintain your comfort. You will receive intensive daily therapies and will regain some of the life skills that addiction may have stunted. Through various therapies and support groups, you will gradually regain control of your life and improve your daily function.

Inpatient rehab treatment is expected to continue from a few weeks to a few months. Your length of stay depends on your individual circumstances and how you respond to stimulant addiction treatment.

Step 3. Outpatient Amphetamine Addiction Treatment

In cases where residential care is simply not an option, it’s possible that a lower level of care, such as outpatient stimulant treatment, may be the next best thing. Outpatient amphetamine addiction treatment options include:

Group Therapy

In most cases, group therapy is a significant part of an outpatient amphetamine treatment plan. By creating a supportive environment, group sessions encourage those working towards recovery to explore their experiences related to their substance use disorders. Sessions are led by licensed therapists who evaluate progress and make recommendations. Support groups are also offered to the family of those seeking treatment so that they learn how to best support the recovery process.

Group therapy typically addresses the following topics:

Individual Therapy

Individual therapy can help tremendously with treatment for amphetamine addiction. This form of therapy provides individuals in treatment with the opportunity to meet one-on-one with a therapist to learn new coping skills, practice healthy communication, and maintain hope and strength. A substance use disorder is rarely an isolated issue and individual therapy assists with identifying the root of the dependence.

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Why Do You Need to Treat Amphetamine Addiction?

The way in which overuse of amphetamines can dramatically alter the brain’s chemistry creates serious complications. Addiction to amphetamines can result in the following symptoms:

• Loss of interest in daily activities
• Hiding drug use
• Anger when confronted
• Compromising morals to obtain amphetamines
• Rapid aging and serious dental concerns
• Anxiety, confusion, and paranoia
• Hallucinations and delusions
• Violent behavior

People who overuse amphetamines are at a high risk of developing a tolerance for the drug. As you require more and more of the drug to achieve the same level of euphoria, your risks of a fatal overdose increase.

Individuals who attempt to discontinue use on their own can experience severe and unmanageable withdrawal symptoms that only a medically supervised detox can manage safely and treat effectively.

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How Long Is Amphetamine Addiction Treatment?

Treatment duration can vary based on individual treatment needs and life circumstances. From the time you enroll in an amphetamine addiction treatment program, you can usually expect the treatment process to be anywhere between 30 and 90 days. Statistics show that the longer the treatment, the better the prospects of long-term recovery. Dedicated inpatient treatment will likely take 30 days but could be longer, especially if there are compounding mental health concerns. Moreover, individuals who want to maximize their chances of lifelong sobriety will engage in a program of aftercare following treatment.

What Therapies Are Used in Amphetamine Addiction Treatment?

Several different therapies are used in amphetamine addiction treatment. Cognitive and behavioral therapies can help to reconfigure daily behaviors and relaxation therapies can ease the pain of withdrawal.

Medical Treatment for Amphetamine Addiction

In cases where withdrawal symptoms are severe and overwhelming, treatment doctors will prescribe pharmaceuticals to ease the distress of amphetamine detox. There are various medications that can be prescribed to alleviate symptoms and enable you to focus on actual detox. Some of these medications are:

• Antidepressants. Depression is a common side effect during withdrawal. Serious depression can delay successful treatment and may be abated with an antidepressant.

• Anti-Anxiety Medications. It is common to experience extraordinarily high levels of anxiety, especially during the beginning withdrawal stage. An anti-anxiety medication can help to regulate anxious feelings.

• Sleep Aids. As treatment continues, many people experience insomnia. In some cases, over-the-counter sleep aids, like melatonin, are effective. In other cases, a stronger prescription sleep aid is necessary.

Holistic Treatment for Amphetamine Use

In addition to medical intervention, relaxation therapies, such as yoga, meditation, massage, and art therapy, are effective for soothing symptoms during stimulant addiction treatment. Learning how to center their breathing and their thought process can help individuals manage severe symptoms and regain control of themselves.

Neurotherapy, also known as “neurofeedback,” is a treatment method that involves assessing the pathways in a person’s brain responsible for addiction. It’s been shown to be effective in treating opioid use disorder by helping users reduce cravings, and the same benefits are thought to extend to those who become addicted to amphetamines. 

In Neurotherapy, a trained practitioner uses a machine called an electroencephalogram (EEG) to map a person’s brain waves. The user plays a game that monitors their response to positive and negative stimuli as electrodes attached to their scalp provide feedback on the EEG. 

Over time, Neurotherapy is intended to prompt an improvement in brain activity so that the person being treated is able to resist negative feelings such as cravings. 

Expressive Arts and Music Therapies

As the name suggests, expressive arts and music therapies aim to help people in recovery for amphetamine use get in touch with themselves and express their feelings and emotions. 

Conventional talk therapy is intended to help people in treatment open up about their experiences and start to understand the reasons they make certain decisions and take certain actions. Sometimes, though, talking isn’t enough on its own. 

Expressive therapies are more creative and may reach a different set of people than psychotherapies like CBT and DBT alone. Music, art and dance therapies are often used in tandem with traditional talk therapies — this makes them part of a group of “integrative” therapies. 

In expressive therapy, people in treatment are encouraged to use nonverbal forms of expression to share their feelings, illustrate core memories and show how certain things make them feel and react using artistic creations, sounds or motions. This offers a different set of dimensions to express themselves that some people may prefer as an amphetamine treatment option. 

Lifelong Recovery From Amphetamine Addiction

Research has demonstrated that prolonged amphetamine abuse can cause long-term damage and side effects. After inpatient amphetamine addiction treatment is over, the next challenge is maintaining lifelong recovery. This requires an ongoing commitment to living a lifestyle that supports sobriety. Often people in this stage of recovery find ongoing help and support from 12-step and other peer support groups as well as individual therapy. With time, many people in recovery from amphetamine addiction have found that their cravings recede and sobriety gets easier.

Ready to Break Free From Amphetamine Addiction?

You don’t have to face amphetamine addiction alone. At FHE Health, we offer medically supervised amphetamine detox and treatment programs designed to help you or your loved one achieve lasting recovery. From personalized therapies to compassionate support, we’re here to guide you every step of the way.

FAQs About Amphetamine Addiction Treatment

Q: What does amphetamine addiction treatment entail at FHE Health?

A: Amphetamine addiction treatment at FHE Health follows a structured three-step process: medically supervised detox, residential treatment, and outpatient support, with each step tailored to help individuals safely transition through recovery and regain meaningful functioning.

Q: What happens during amphetamine detox?

A: Detox is the critical first stage where the body clears amphetamines under medical supervision. As the brain chemistry adjusts, patients may experience withdrawal symptoms such as tremors, severe anxiety, sweating, fatigue, headaches, nausea, restlessness, depression, mood swings, paranoia, and even hallucinations. Drug rehabilitation professionals will help you to get through these stages, though it’s likely that you’ll receive some combination of these symptoms over the course of your detoxification.

Q: How long does amphetamine withdrawal typically last?

A: Withdrawal symptoms usually begin on the first day of detox and tend to subside within 7 to 10 days, though some symptoms (especially cravings) can persist for several weeks. The severity and duration often reflect how long and how heavily amphetamines were used.

Q: What is involved in residential (inpatient) amphetamine addiction treatment?

A: Residential treatment involves living on-site at FHE Health for intensive care. This includes daily therapeutic sessions, structured routines, medical observation, and life skills support. Inpatient programs generally span from a few weeks up to several months, depending on individual needs.

Q: How does outpatient amphetamine treatment differ?

A: Outpatient care offers flexibility for individuals who can’t stay as a resident. It typically includes:

• Group therapy: Facilitated sessions focusing on managing cravings, coping with stress, trauma recovery, and building supportive relationships.
• Individual therapy: One-on-one sessions to develop personalized coping strategies and address underlying causes of substance use.

Q: Can medications be used during amphetamine treatment?

A: Yes. To ease severe withdrawal symptoms, FHE Health may prescribe:

• Antidepressants (for depression)
• Anti-anxiety medications (for heightened anxiety)
• Sleep aids, such as melatonin or prescription medications, to help restore restful sleep patterns.

These are prescribed on an as-needed basis in dealing with the symptoms associated with amphetamine detox.

Q: Are holistic and creative therapies part of the treatment plan?

A: Almost always. FHE is a provider of holistic therapy, with a focus going beyond simply getting you off of drugs. We aim to provide the tools and skills necessary for a more complete, more satisfying life. Holistic therapies play a key role in our recovery process, with the inclusion of therapies like:

• Relaxation therapies: Yoga, meditation, massage, and art therapy can help to soothe withdrawal discomfort.
• Neurotherapy (neurofeedback): EEG-based brainwave training to reduce cravings and rewire addiction-related brain patterns.
• Expressive arts and music therapy: These creative therapies offer nonverbal outlets for emotional expression and healing, complementing traditional talk therapy.

Q: Why is treatment for amphetamine addiction necessary?

A: Amphetamines drastically alter brain chemistry and carry serious risks, including deteriorating mental health, paranoia, compulsive behavior, dental decay, and even overdose. Detoxing alone, without medical supervision, can be dangerous, making professional care essential.

Q: What does lifelong recovery look like after initial treatment?

A: Recovery extends well beyond detox and rehab. Long-term success often involves aftercare measures such as support groups, individual therapy, and ongoing lifestyle adjustments. Many find that cravings lessen significantly over time, and that lasting sobriety becomes more manageable as more time is spent in a sober state.

Q: Who benefits most from amphetamine addiction treatment at FHE Health?

A: Ideal candidates are individuals struggling with amphetamine misuse, whether recent, prolonged, or accompanied by co-occurring mental health issues. FHE Health offers a compassionate, holistic, and science-backed treatment continuum suited for those seeking medical, psychological, and emotional support.