DETOX A TOUGH PROCESS

PRINCE ALBERT -- Visions of flying bats, Harry Potter characters and ogres
taunted a young woman trying to recover from a powerful addiction.

The teen, now 16, has been clean for the last five months. But she spent
three years using crystal meth, up to a half gram every three hours.

"It seemed so real to me," she says of the visions.

But the hallucinations weren't all the teen dealt with as she struggled to
stay away from the powerful and addictive drug. She lost control of her
bowel movements, had diarrhea and wet the bed several times at night.

"I was kind of just like a dead person walking ... I had really bad
withdrawals, like hard core," says the youth, whose name has not been
published to protect her identity.

The drug, which once kept the teen awake for 22 straight days, took months
to leave her system. After several days under psychiatric care, she was
finally treated at a drug rehabilitation centre for 28 days.

Glenis Clarke, youth and family co-ordinator with addictions services in
the Prince Albert Parkland Health Region, says everyone handles drug
withdrawal differently depending on how much crystal meth they have used
and for how long. Some will go through drug-induced psychosis, such as
paranoia or auditory and verbal hallucinations.

There is always a risk of an addict attempting suicide during the
withdrawal stage, and since crystal meth is a stimulant, the need to sleep
and eat is excessive after a person stops using, she says.

"All of them crash physically (and) they're not thinking clearly," Clarke says.

"It is important they get themselves in a safe environment."

Crystal meth addicts account for 20 to 30 per cent of the cases at
addictions services, Clarke says. But counsellors often also provide
support to family members of addicts without opening an additional case file.

Clarke says there is always a demand for more services, including quicker
access to services, a safe place for addicts to stabilize and respite care
to continue the healing process. Patients using stimulants such as crystal
meth also need to be seen more frequently by counsellors than some others.

Roger Carriere, executive director of the community care branch of
Saskatchewan Health, says those needing drug treatment can usually access a
detox bed within two days.

But many patients are able to be treated immediately in a detox facility,
he says.

Those waiting to get into long-term treatment might have to wait a month or
two before a bed becomes available, Carriere says. During that time,
however, they often receive detox or out-patient treatment.

Support, nutrition and a safe environment are all crucial when an addict
enters treatment and begins drug withdrawal, Clarke says. Family support
and spiritual and medical counselling are also important.

But even after spending time in treatment and counselling, the
hallucinations -- including some involving her own family -- followed the
teenager home.

"I just thought I was tripping," she says.

Today, the teen still has regular cravings for the drug that once ruled her
life. She chain smokes cigarettes to try to deal with the urges.

Regular use of the drug has left her with severe short-term memory loss and
she has trouble in school. She easily becomes angry and says she often
"flips out" over small things.

Her former drug addiction has also made her a target for gossip from some
of her classmates.

"I definitely messed up my reputation," she says.

The teen is on also probation and must follow a variety of court
conditions, having gotten into trouble with the law for carrying crystal
meth. The criminal charges helped push the teen into drug rehab.

After five months without crystal meth, the young woman says she still
struggles every day to stay out of jail and away from the drug. She wants
to stay in school and get a car one day, and hopes to regain the trust she
lost to her addiction.

But she recently ended up back in court after getting caught with
marijuana. She wishes others would realize how hard she struggles.

"I choose every day to stay off meth," the teen says.

"It's different every day, (and) basically, I'm dealing with this alone."