Doing a Meth (Ice) Detox

srijana • June 13, 2024

There’s a big stigma around Ice withdrawal. The media images of violent outbursts in hospitals creates the impression that detoxing is dangerous. In fact, Meth is the easiest of all detoxes. It leaves the body quickly and the person can feel good as gold in 5 days. So what’s the problem?


Meth hypes the body into a super-energised state. So much so, you don’t want to rest or sleep. If this lack of sleep goes on for too long, the brain can’t recover and the risk of psychosis can be high after 2-3 days. In psychosis, the person behaves irrationally and may have violent outbursts. With sleep and deep rest, the person will wake up refreshed and of sound mind in most cases. 


With chronic sleep deprivation from Ice usage, permanent psychosis can occur. This means, the manic state of mind is reversable most of the time. Should the person not be able to get to sleep, rehab medical staff may prescribe sleepers to start the process. Sleep is the only remedy.


The person may need many days of sleep, so maintaining fluids and food is important. They may have lost their appetite before detoxing, so they will get hungry for carbs and fat between sleep cycles. You may need to wake the person at intervals to make sure they are breathing and hydrated.


After day 5, and the person is well rested, an increased feeling of wellbeing and mental clarity arises. This is a seemingly miraculous change. The person is convinced that the detox is over and they are back to normal. This is an impressive turn around for loved ones, who may think the battle is over


But while the individual feels physically better, the brain is not fully recovered. Meth creates a low Dopamine level. Dopamine is the chemical in your brain to help you feel satisfied. When Dopamine is low, you feel discontent. This continues despite the detox process. So expect to feel physically well, but start to become restless on day 5.


At this point, it is common to want to take off somewhere, feel you need to do something, be active, see someone or just be productive. These are all signs that your Dopamine is still low and you are having a craving for Ice again. When you start to get restless, the cravings start to get very strong and a relapse is likely. Without support, rehabilitation and professional counselling, you may misunderstand what is happening and start using again in 24 hours.


For this reason, at Gold Coast Detox and Rehab Services, we encourage a 10-day Meth detox so the client has plenty of time to manage their cravings on day 5-10. 28 days is always ideal to break an addiction, but 10 days is minimum. In fact, Ice cravings last up to 9 months, so staying connected to your rehab support team is important to prevent relapse.

Man in dark, illuminated by phone screen. Gazing intently, with focused expression.
October 2, 2025
Being addicted to a particular substance is no accident. It’s a carefully identified choice based on several attempts to find a remedy to an uncomfortable feeling. Some drugs just don’t fit the nature of the problem. Other’s fit like a glove and take away all the pain like it never happened. Alcohol Alcohol is the easiest, most socially acceptable emotional and physical painkiller. People drink when they are broken-hearted, lonely, isolated and resentful. It gives us courage when we felt scared, honesty when we fear the truth and intimacy when we felt alone. Traditionally, alcohol was used before going to war, as an ice-breaker in social occasions, a disinfectant for disease and as a numbing agent for amputation. For these reasons, alcohol addiction takes away your ability to feel courageous and confident, to feel close and comfortable with another person and to endure pain and suffering. Without it you resort to feeling alone, agitated and afraid of adversity. Detoxing from alcohol makes you feel anxious primarily. You may get the shakes, nausea and insomnia. Your body gets used to alcohol helping you deal with things, leaving you feeling weak and vulnerable. It takes time for your mind to feel like it can handle stress again if you haven’t practiced for a while. Taking Valium in the first week makes your brain feel like it is still drinking, allowing you to rest and recover during your withdrawal period. Cocaine Cocaine was originally used by South American farmers for centuries to work harder, faster and longer. Similarly, Westerners are now using Cocaine for the same reasons. But the South American farmers never got addicted. So why is it that it is now the most desirable drug in Australia? Cocaine is now worth more than gold per gram. The answer is this. It makes you feel confident. So confident, you don’t have any hesitation or doubt. You feel like a winner, you feel like you can’t fail and you lose your reasoning capacity that keeps you vigilant. You’re Superman. This is why Cocaine addicts go from 0-10 in their addiction real fast. Their habit escalates so fast, they don’t know what’s happening. It can often go with a sex, porn, shopping or gambling habit. Detoxing from Cocaine makes you feel like you are losing your confidence, which can lead to overexercising and making big plans that never eventuate. When you wake up after your long 5 days sleep and you’re feeling refreshed, it’s tempting to think you are all fixed. You feel rested and physically strong again. But your mind isn’t fine, mental recovery takes a lot longer. The cravings start to become insatiable after 5 days and can last up to 9 months. Meth (Ice) Like Cocaine, Meth is in the stimulant family and it shares some qualities such as making you feel over-exited and focussed. It usually makes people feel motivated, focussed, and energised. If you feel more normal than ever on Meth, then you may have ADHD. Meth can be an attempt to self-medicate for ADHD and other behavioural issues. If you start taking Meth, you may have been feeling tired, scattered, unmotivated and lacking direction. If you need to be sharp and get into action, you will find temporary relief with Meth. Then over time you will get used to the effect and need it more and more to stay energised. It is similar to strong caffeine, and addiction to energy drinks are often a sign that the person will move on to stronger stimulants. During a Meth detox you will be very tired and want to sleep and eat all the time. You may be underweight in the beginning and eat through the night to make up for the energy deficit. If you can’t get to sleep asap, you run the risk of drug-induced psychosis, so you may require sleepers to begin your detox. But if you can get to sleep, the rest is just bedrest and hydration. Like Cocaine, the cravings for Meth start at 5 days, so make sure your program is at least 10 days. Cannabis Cannabis is in the family of drugs that appeal to low dopamine people, ie. those that can’t concentrate and have poor motivation. It’s common for people using Cannabis to have underlying ADHD or anger issues. It is a drug that is used for frustration and boredom. Longer term Cannabis use can lead to lack of interest in doing things, which can then lead to using stimulants like Meth or Cocaine. It is definitely addictive and often results in mental health issues such as paranoia and psychosis. Because Cannabis is slow to detox, it takes many weeks to withdraw. It may take 3-4 weeks for most of the withdrawal to be complete, with symptoms of night sweats, depression, anxiety and insomnia being common. Melatonin is helpful for this time. Note that medically prescribed Cannabis is equally as addictive, with the same risks of psychosis.
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