Early Symptoms of Meth Withdrawal

fatigued woman

Fatigue is a common symptom of meth withdrawal.

Complications arising from an addict’s decision to abruptly stop using meth are typically non-life-threatening but there are some cases in which the early symptoms of meth withdrawal can pose serious health risks to the user. Unfortunately, it’s hard to tell whether the symptoms of withdrawal that you will feel when you make the decision to quit will pose risks to your health or not—that is, not until you actually quit using. Most of the time, the early symptoms of meth withdrawal will not require medical treatment but you should be aware of the dangers and of what symptoms you should be prepared to seek immediate medical attention for.

People suffering from early symptoms of meth withdrawal will typically feel tired, sluggish, fatigued and mildly depressed. Mood swings, anxiety and agitation are all common symptoms of meth withdrawal that tend to spike in the first days following the last methamphetamine dose. While these symptoms are not serious and pose few dangers to the recovering addict, if symptoms of fatigue or depression interrupt daily routines, cause the individual to stop eating or to stop caring for him or herself there may be a need for professional treatment.

Common Early Symptoms of Withdrawal

The most commonly noticed early symptoms of meth withdrawal include vivid dreams, increased appetite, agitation and irritability paired with fatigue. These symptoms will most often go away on their own with rest, relaxation and continued abstinence from methamphetamine use. In the event that these early symptoms of meth withdrawal stick around for more than a couple of weeks, you may be best helped if you seek professional treatment in a medical environment.

The following symptoms are not dangerous and should clear up within a few weeks:

  • Fatigue
  • Mild depression
  • Lack of energy
  • Difficulty sleeping or maintaining a sleep pattern
  • Paranoid thoughts
  • Nightmares
  • Anxiety
  • Restlessness
  • Bad mood

If you or a loved one is going through meth withdrawal and happens to feel suicidal, extremely depressed, or is showing signs of psychosis that resemble schizophrenia, it may be time to seek immediate medical treatment. Though these early symptoms of meth withdrawal are not present in every case of withdrawal, when they do arise there is a need for professional treatment in order to keep the recovering addict safe and to prevent him or her from posing a real danger to others.

Treatment

If you or someone you know is suffering from any of these early symptoms of meth withdrawal, treatment is the ideal choice to get you back on your feet and feeling better. While it will take time and a continued commitment to staying sober, meth addiction treatment and the professional medical treatment that is provided for patients who are withdrawing from methamphetamine can be very beneficial at helping users to stay sober and to continue their plight to overcome drug addiction.

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