Meth is known as one of the most addictive drugs around, and the relapse rate for this drug tends to be higher for other types. When you have a loved one that has faced a meth addiction, it is normal to be on guard for a relapse. Asking what are the signs of a meth relapse may mean that you are just seeking to be as supportive as possible during your loved one’s early recovery. Or, you might be feeling that upsetting sense of intuition that something is amiss in your home. Either way, knowing the signs of a meth relapse puts you in a strong position for helping your loved one stay sober.
The first thing you should know is that the signs of an impending relapse often happen before one even occurs. The earliest clues that a relapse is on the horizon happen before your loved one uses meth again, and they often include starting to talk about their former drug use in a positive light. They might talk fondly about the people and places in their life that involved using meth, or they might defend their past use of the drug. Someone who is facing a potential relapse might also decide that they no longer need to stick to their treatment plan. They might skip after care meetings or even start hanging out with their old friends who still use.
Once someone starts actively using meth again, they’ve entered the relapse stage. Typically, you’ll just notice the same symptoms that you might’ve noticed in the past when they were high. Your loved one may seem more active or happy than usual. They might also stop eating as much and get overheated easily. Seeming amped up or overly energized are common signs that they are using meth again.
Over time, someone who is experiencing a meth relapse will eventually exhibit signs that it is affecting their life again. Watch for these signs of a relapse that signal that you need to talk to your loved one about what is going on in their life.
- expressing more aggression or agitation
- developing skin sores or oral health problems
- experiencing paranoia or hallucinations
- ditching their sober friends for ones who use meth
- being willing to risk buying drugs on the street
- having problems at work or with meeting family obligations
Encourage Your Loved One to Seek Help for Their Meth Relapse
Seeing the signs of a meth relapse in your loved one’s behavior and lifestyle might be upsetting, but it is important to take a step back and remind yourself that staying sober is hard. A relapse doesn’t represent a lack of willpower or self-control on your loved one’s part. Instead, this is an opportunity to figure out what went wrong so that they can develop a plan to prevent relapsing again in the future.
First, you’ll need to talk to them about what you’ve noticed. You might choose to do this as a casual conversation if you feel like your loved one will be open to hearing what you have to say. Or, you might choose to hold a small intervention that includes the people that have been supportive of your loved one’s recovery to this point. The method that you choose for bringing up the discussion should be tailored to fit their general personality and openness about their recovery.
Bringing up your loved one’s possible relapse might be hard, but it is the best way to help them connect with resources that can get them back on track. Make sure to bring information about treatment programs into your discussion so that you can help them immediately take action if they acknowledge that they’ve had a relapse. Getting back into addiction treatment can help your loved one figure out where things got out of control. Most people who have a meth relapse need to make changes to their treatment plan that may include more intensive counseling or using new strategies to manage their cravings. With proper care, your loved one can return to sobriety and even expect long-term success with quitting meth.
Do you suspect that your loved one is having a meth relapse? Call us at 855-334-6120 to start helping them plan for the next phase of their recovery.
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