Impacts-of-methamphetamine-in-Victoria-Community-Assessment-Penington-Institute

Services noted that it was often hard to treat methamphetamine withdrawal. One AOD worker noted:“There’s not much we can do for them, except symptomatic treatment...there’s nopharmacotherapy.”The above quote focused on the longer-term challenges of staying off methamphetamine. However,many workers noted that a period in a withdrawal unit tended to be a positive circuit breaker.Initially, clients may be offered a tricyclics anti-depressant to reduce racing thoughts and help themsleep in the first few days in treatment. A big focus is building the therapeutic relationship in arelatively short period of time.“In the second week the work gets done dealing with core issues and triggers such as abuse, bullying,grief and loss and the family dynamic”.A withdrawal service offered supports to their clients after release including encouraging them andtheir families to contact after-hours if they needed support or were in crisis. Upon being discharged,the service ensured young people had access to wrap around supports (youth workers, AODcounsellors) within their local region.SummaryMany services spoken to felt challenged by the high levels of methamphetamine use withincommunities. Services providing a response to methamphetamine related crisis (such as psychosis),were particularly overwhelmed.52