The stereotypical drug addict portrayed on TV and in the minds of most Americans is usually a white or black male under the age of 25, homeless, dangerous, and clearly identified as an addict by his criminal behavior or psychotic demeanor. Crystal meth addicts – many don’t even have a picture of what that looks like, but assumes that he or she would be much like the original stereotype. The average American wouldn’t assume that a crystal meth addict would be in their mid-50s, happily married for decades, and financially stable with no criminal record at all.

Perhaps that’s why the case of Charles and Deborah Harley are so important to talk about. This middle aged couple appeared to the casual observer to be well-adjusted and “normal.” No one would have even considered them as possible candidates for the development of crystal meth addiction. Aged 55 and 54, respectively, the two have been married for a long time, neither has a criminal record of any kind, both have high school educations and good reputations in the community. So how did it happen?

According to the couple, both of them have been hiding issues with illicit substances for decades. Though a full blown addiction never developed in their 20s and 30s, they both knew that they had an issue with drugs. For Deborah, it was amphetamines, a substance she says she experimented with since the early ‘80s. For Charles, his primary issues were with both marijuana and cocaine, a problem he’s had since his 20s.

If the problem had been hidden for so long, what brought it to light now? Apparently, it was a new regulation put in place at local businesses that monitored the purchase of products containing ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, one of the primary ingredients in crystal meth. The couple had made regular purchases of the drug that put them on the radar of local authorities. A search warrant was granted based on these purchases and executed by the local drug enforcement team.

Though the Harleys initially said that they purchased the drugs to treat their allergies, they were sentenced to two years on probation for possession of methamphetamine and maintenance of a drug house. The couple were both remorseful and embarrassed to find themselves in court for drug charges.

Said Charles Harley: “You’re never too old to be foolish. I apologize to the court and my family.”

Kristie Constantinoff was recently arrested on multiple charges of fraud – she pleaded guilty on all counts because, according to her attorney, her crystal meth addiction drove her to it.

The woman’s fraud of choice was to find receipts in the parking lot of major stores like Wal-Mart, then go in and steal some of the items on the receipt and return them for a refund. She defrauded more than $2000 in 2010 using this method.

Crime to Pay for Crystal Meth

According to Constantinoff, her crystal meth addiction cost her about $100 each day and the money she got from her fraudulent dealings went toward the support of that addiction. It’s not an uncommon reason behind crime; in fact, many communities notice a rise in the rate of drug addiction that parallels the rise in rate of drug dependence and abuse. The down side is that it can ultimately mean incarceration for people who would better benefit from drug rehab. The up side is that, in cases where the penalty is small or where drug courts are available, arrest can help those who need it get into addiction treatment and walk away from both crime and addiction forever

Repaying Debts Incurred During Active Addiction

Since the time of her arrest, Constantinoff has undergone drug rehab and gotten back on track. She is even employed now and would like to repay her debt. Her ability to pay was a big part of how her sentence was determined and her rehab experience as well as her demonstrated ability to remain sober and employed are likely what will keep her out of jail.

The ability to repay debts incurred during an active addiction is a healing act on many fronts. It can help the addict to assuage feelings of guilt or regret and give the victim an opportunity to heal as well. In some cases, it can even kick start the process of repairing broken relationships. At the very least, the person in recovery can learn how to have positive interactions with others, and going through the act of apologizing and making amends can be a good practice of humility that will benefit the patient going forward.

The Process of Healing

When crystal meth addiction is causing life changing problems, patients can begin the healing process by enrolling in a crystal meth rehab. Contact us at The Orchid today to learn more about the drug addiction treatment program options we have available for women. Call now.

You have kids at home who need you to make sure they are safe, be there after school, maybe get them to school and back, help with homework, drive them to different activities, make meals, get them to doctor appointments, and put them to bed. All the responsibilities and heavy scheduling related to motherhood may even have played a part in the development of your crystal meth addiction in the first place. Now that you’ve gone to crystal meth rehab and began the process of healing from addiction, the real work begins: learning how to live everyday with all the stresses and commitments you had before but without abusing crystal meth.

Prioritizing Presence in Motherhood

When you abuse crystal meth, your mind is no longer your own. You don’t remember things as clearly later and may find it difficult to do the multi-tasking that is so often required during motherhood. While your initial energy may be higher, your mood often plummets when the drug begins to wear off or after a long period of continuous use. This is hard on you and on your kids and creates an unstable environment.

Instead of trying to force a full schedule, prioritize being present for your child. Take the time to do an art project or cook something together, work in the garden or draw on the sidewalk with chalk. Your child will value this time together just as much – if not more – than driving from one activity to the next.
Your mental presence and emotional availability means the world to your child, so if you have to cut out a few activities to make sure that homework is attended to and you get more time to just be with your children, then do it.

Make Time for Your Own Mental Health

Being present with your kids is important and it’s true that there’s quite a laundry list of things that you need to keep up with in order to make sure that they are cared for. You don’t need crystal meth to make those things happen; what you need is the time to regenerate your energy is a way that is healthful and positive so that you will be in high spirits and more focused naturally.

This means eating right, working out or going for walks on a regular basis, taking time to meet with friends for coffee, getting to the doctor regularly – basic care for yourself that keeps your mind and body in tip-top shape. When you feel better physically and have time to yourself, you can be more relaxed and giving with the time you spend with your kids – and not feel as if you need crystal meth to get you through the day.

Crystal Meth Rehab for Women

If you are living with an active addiction to crystal meth, contact us at The Orchid today. We provide woman-centered treatment that will help you create a life for yourself and your family that will sustain you all for years to come.

Though Jennifer Marie Patterson recently graduated from law school at the University of Richmond, her first day in court was not spent sitting at the prosecution’s table but at the defendant’s table – as the defendant.

Patterson pled guilty to charges of conspiracy in a crystal methamphetamine distribution ring that circulated more than 500 grams of the drug, according to multiple new sources. Her alleged offenses are nonviolent in nature so she may be eligible for a lenient sentence, but the worst case scenario sentence is life in prison.

Why did Patterson, a functional law student, break the law and take part in a drug distribution ring? She says that she had a crystal meth addiction of her own to support and that selling the drugs was the only way to continue to get the amount of the drug she needed. Confusingly, her lawyer says that Patterson relapsed only one time while she was in law school (when was she selling the drugs then, and why if not to maintain an addiction to help her through law school?) and that she never sold to other students in the law school.

Currently, Patterson is enrolled in the Lawyers Helping Lawyers drug addiction program and still has plans to take the Virginia bar exam. What does the judge think of that move? She wishes Patterson luck.

Crystal Meth Addiction and College Students

Though Patterson says she didn’t abuse crystal meth during her career as a law student, it is not uncommon to find that the most seemingly functional, high performing students are only doing so well because of a serious meth addiction. The drug provides a high level of energy and allows the patient to stay awake for days on end if they continue taking the drug, allowing them to study, attend class, complete projects, et cetera. Unfortunately, a high performance binge is often followed by a few days of zero performance. Many patients report devastating depression and an inability to even get out of bed.

Crystal Meth Addiction Treatment

Crystal meth addiction treatment and long-term follow-up care is the only way to effectively address the issue of addiction. Inpatient rehab is recommended for chronic addiction over months or years, but outpatient addiction treatment can be effective in the case of a relapse or a brief period of relapse after inpatient care. Contact us at The Orchid today to learn more about our program and how we help women fight crystal meth addiction and learn how to live on their own without the crutch of drugs.

Crystal meth addiction is one of the most difficult addictions to fight in the long-term for women, no matter how effective their experience in crystal meth rehab. The women who indulge in crystal meth often do so in order to lose weight or to keep up with the myriad responsibilities on their plate: work, kids, relationship, friendships, community work, et cetera. Working toward learning how to accomplish goals without the use of crystal meth means daily practice – mindful practice – and begins with crystal meth rehab.

What is Mindful Practice?

In terms of crystal meth addiction treatment, mindful practice includes anything that helps you to remain focused on your goal of remaining drug-free and to obtain the goals that you formerly thought were only possible with crystal meth. The specifics of that will vary depending upon what your goals are.

For example, if you began using crystal meth and continued to use it in order to lose weight, mindful practice during your recovery will work toward maintaining a healthy weight in a healthy way. Your mindful practice may include things like creating menu plans a week in advance, preparing a grocery list, shopping for your items, preparing your meals, creating a workout plan, working out regularly, and increasing your physical activity through everyday activities like walking the dog or parking further from the store.

If you used crystal meth to help you check things off an extensive to-do list, your mindful practice might include creating an organization plan that works for you, updating your planner and phone book to include everything you need to get things done, deciding which things on your to-do list are unnecessary or can effectively be delegated to someone else, et cetera.

No matter what purpose crystal meth formerly served in your life, you now have the opportunity to accomplish those same things without the devastating health effects that come with addiction.

Mindful Practice Tips for Crystal Meth Recovery

No matter what the specifics of your mindful practice, there are some general tips that can help anyone in crystal meth addiction treatment and recovery to remain focused on their progress and healing. They include:

• 12-step meetings. They are free, they are everywhere and scheduled throughout every day of the week somewhere. Taking advantage of a meeting gives you a chance to share what’s going on with your recovery and find support if you need it.
• Personal therapy. Dealing with the issues that may make you feel like you have to attain a certain body weight or accomplish a certain number of things every day is a big part of real healing. Personal therapy gives you a place to explore those issues and develop an actionable plan of recovery.
• Support groups. Support groups allow you to put your actionable plan of recovery into practice in a safe environment.
• Alternative treatments. Yoga, nutritional counseling, acupuncture, massage – all these can help you relax and remind you to find balance before moving forward.

If you need to begin your crystal meth addiction recovery with a stay in crystal meth rehab and you prefer assistance provided for and by women, we can help. Contact us at The Orchid today.