California is known for its many wonderful attractions—from its natural beauty to the man-made wonders of Hollywood, Disneyland and more. Unfortunately, a good portion of our state’s heartland from Chico to Bakersfield is known for something else: it’s referred to by some as the “meth capital of the world.” In towns like Sacramento and Stockton, and in San Francisco Bay Area cities like Oakland and San Jose, methamphetamine addiction is a frequent cause of crime. It’s also a root problem of our overburdened foster care system as thousands of parents are in jail and cannot raise their children.
No meth user intends to become addicted and lose control of their lives. Unfortunately, that’s just what happens to the vast majority of people who experiment with methamphetamine. The drug has become well-known for the incredibly strong hold it gains on users in a very short time.
There is help. At Gracer Medical Group, we offer effective addiction treatment to patients in Oakland, Sacramento, San Jose and beyond. Our office in San Ramon is centrally located to serve patients nearby as well as north and south of the Bay Area. Find out more by calling 925.277.1100 or sending us an email.
How “Meth” Causes Addiction
Genetics plays only a small role in who gets addicted to meth. Many college students get hooked after they use the drug at a party or to help them get a paper done. Meth users love company and are forceful advocates, thereby getting many of their friends to use the drug as well. Unfortunately, meth is the most destructive drug of addiction.
At first users feel happy and high on meth. In a short time, however, the situation changes. Without meth to stimulate the brain, the user suffers from exhaustion, depression and body aches. After a little longer, their nutrition suffers and their teeth start rotting. But many will do anything to get their next hit and avoid the suffering withdrawal brings. Taken long enough, the brain damage meth causes may be irreversible.
With repeated meth use, the brain physically changes. Normal things that make people happy and energized just don’t make a difference. When a meth user quits they go through a long period of exhaustion and require lots of sleep. After this they slowly start to feel better, but the underlying depression, lack of energy and moodiness persist. This can last for months, years, or even forever. Sooner or later the majority of users relapse due to stress or social pressure. In fact the overall success rate for stopping meth may be as low as 15% and in some areas it may be no higher than 5%.
Comprehensive Addiction Treatment
Treating methamphetamine addiction successfully requires a comprehensive program that deals with all aspects of this terrible addiction: the psychosocial, nutritional and, most importantly, the brain disease. We use new treatments, including the revolutionary new Prometa protocol, that aim at the underlying physical brain issues.
Medication alone is not enough to ensure the maximum chance of success. Treatment of underlying psychiatric problems is also critical. We also design a nutritional program for each patient that boosts the effects of the other treatments. This includes using nutritional supplements tailored to each patient’s needs. Used together, these treatments can usually help the patient bypass the months of fatigue and depression. In fact, at Gracer Medical Group our success rate for meth patients who are treated with the Prometa protocol and stay in our program for a least one year is about 65%!
Since it takes a long time to rebuild a life that has been destroyed by meth, we employ our Recovery Maintenance Model (RMM) which supports each patient for at least one year. It’s a long term treatment plan that’s flexible enough to adjust to your changing needs. Our system gives you the tools you need to rebuild your life, drug-free.
We see patients for addiction treatment from Sacramento, San Jose, Oakland and all over the San Francisco Bay area in our San Ramon office. We have clients who live in Sonoma and Monterey, and others who come for addiction treatment from Bakersfield, Stockton and other Central Valley towns. At the same time, we’re here for our fellow citizens of San Ramon, Danville, Dublin and Pleasanton. Call us today for information at 925.277.1100 or send an email.