Meth Withdrawal Timeline
The duration and severity of methamphetamine withdrawal symptoms vary from individual to individual. Duration and intensity depend on a person’s drug use history, which includes the duration and frequency of drug use. Physiological characteristics such as age and genetics may also influence the duration of withdrawal symptoms. The severity of symptoms may determine the chances of relapse.
Withdrawal symptoms begin within the first 24 hours after abstinence. The initial phase, called the acute phase, lasts for around seven days. Withdrawal symptoms are most severe during this phase. The acute phase is followed by a sub-acute phase that lasts for around two to three weeks. The symptoms still occur but are less intense during this phase.
The symptoms during the acute phase involve:
- Extreme exhaustion
- Increased appetite
- Hypersomnia
- Agitation
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Intense drug cravings
Symptoms of psychosis may also be present, but they generally resolve within a week. Depressive symptoms during the acute phase include an inability to feel pleasure, general dissatisfaction and irritability. Most of these symptoms reach their peak within the first few days and gradually subside, continuing at a low intensity during the subacute phase.
Sleep disturbances, such as difficulty sleeping and unpleasant dreams, do not subside during the acute phase and usually continue through the subacute phase. Drug cravings also tend to persist for more than five weeks. The intensity of drug cravings often predicts relapse and is usually related to the severity of depression symptoms.