But if you can, try to incorporate nutrient-rich foods, like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, into your diet. Eating anything is better than eating nothing. It’s especially important to do things that make you feel good, since your brain is replenishing its supply of dopamine and serotonin. Do easy, enjoyable things, like watching TV or going outside with a friend, to help your mind and body get better. Getting rest, especially if you haven’t done so for days, is essential for your overall health. You can do several things to cope with symptoms of meth withdrawal: He also notes that there isn’t a lot of human data regarding what happens during meth withdrawal, which makes it hard to give a general timeline. Withdrawal symptoms are “also dependent on individual brain chemistry, so each person can experience withdrawal differently,” Acheson says. You can try to anticipate the intensity of your symptoms based on your consumption patterns, but there’s no guarantee around how things will unfold. Yet the overall quality of sleep, measured by the length of time it takes you to fall asleep and the number of times you wake up, remained low even after 3 weeks had passed.Īcheson warns that the science of post-meth experiences is incomplete. The same 2011 study found that participants slept a lot in the first few days of not using meth and reported higher post-sleep refreshment. While symptoms tend to steadily improve in 1 or 2 weeks, sleep issues may actually worsen after improving within the first week. Older adults or people who’ve used meth for a long time may experience more severe, longer-lasting symptoms. A small 2005 study found that some low-level symptoms may continue for up to 2 weeks, though.Īnother small 2011 study involving 13 participants found that depression symptoms largely resolved after 1 week, while anxiety and other symptoms decreased within 2 weeks. Most meth withdrawal symptoms peak 1 or 2 days after stopping consumption and go away within 7 days. Veronica works with Project Neon, a harm reduction organization.

Shame and stigma can also have a negative effect on the post-meth experience for some people, notes Vivian Veronica, a methamphetamine specialist. Keep in mind that your behavior while using meth, like not eating or drinking water, can make your withdrawal symptoms more severe. While comedowns and crashes are technically part of withdrawal, people often use these terms to describe the severity of symptoms (with a comedown being the least severe and withdrawal being the most severe). You might hear about at least three types of experiences, depending on your pattern of use:Īll three can involve the following symptoms to varying degrees: But your experience after consuming meth (or any other amphetamine, for that matter) can vary quite a bit.

The way meth smokes and crackback