The Meth Epidemic: What Every Clinician Needs to Know – Hayden Center

Dangerously addictive, meth is a drug that ends lives. It’s literally a substance so volatile it puts holes in the human brain.

But it harms those far beyond the nearly half-million Americans that use meth each week. Families are neglected, children are exposed, and the prison system is overrun. It’s everyone’s problem.

As the tentacles of this sinister epidemic spread into our communities, you need to be prepared to address issues related to methamphetamine and other stimulant drug use in your clients’ who use and in your clients’ who have a drug user in their lives!

Whether you’re an addictions professional, social worker, counselor, psychologist or nurse, this recording will give you the critical information you need to:

• Understand the impact of co-occurring disorders with meth use on treatment outcomes
• Work more effectively with clients that struggle with a dependency on meth
• Be prepared for future trends and next steps in dealing with the meth epidemic

Make sure that you can be part of the solution to one of the scariest epidemics facing our communities today!

1. Characterize how the addictive properties and physical impacts of methamphetamine on the body and how this information informs treatment approach.
2. Detail how other mental health disorders can negatively impact treatment and articulate how clinicians can employ techniques to combat this obstacle.
3. Communicate how clinicians can assess ongoing methamphetamine use treatment to evaluate effectiveness, and outline steps that can be taken to modify treatment when needed.
4. Articulate how screening tools can be used with methamphetamine use disorder clients to identify co-occurring disorders that can negatively impact treatment outcomes.

OVERVIEW OF METHAMPHETAMINE

• Prevalence of meth use
• How meth is produced
• Typical cycle of dependence

THE IMPACT OF METHAMPHETAMINE USE DISORDER ON THE BRAIN

• Brain centers – the relationship between brain centers
• The pleasure factor and the addicted brain
• Differences from other substance use disorders
• How chronic meth use changes the brain

PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC APPROACHES TO TREAT METHAMPHETAMINE USE DISORDER

• Signs of meth use disorder and questions to ask
• CBT – recent studies
• Motivational Interviewing and Motivational Enhancement Therapy
• Contingency management
• The Matrix Model
• 12-step counseling
• Family counseling
• Adjunct approaches – including smart phone daily prompts
• Assessing and modifying treatment to ensure effectiveness
• Research limitations and risks of psychotherapeutic approaches

IDENTIFY AND TREAT CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS WHEN METH IS INVOLVED

• The impact of co-occurring disorders on treatment outcomes
• Primary disorders vs. substance-induced co-occurring disorders
• Screening procedures and tools
  • Questions to ask
  • Recording results
  • Safety issues
  • Trauma history
• Validity in co-occurring treatment research
• Risks associated with co-occurring treatment options

MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT (MAT)

• Medications that are being used in current trials
• Limitations of research and potential treatment risks

ROUTES TO PREVENTION: SETTING THE STAGE FOR FUTURE SUCCESS

• Community-level approaches to prevention of meth use
• Prevention approaches at the individual level
• Relapse techniques