Crashing is when our body runs out of dopamine. We need up to 10 days to refill our dopamine supply, and it can take this long before feelings of intense irritability, low mood and low energy improve.
Prepare to be worn out and feel exhausted for several days up to 1 week after use. Some people find the cannot get enough sleep, or even black out for a day or two. Sometimes crashing can interfere with early-week scheduled activities, such as work or appointments.
Try not to have anything vitally important that you need to attend to during your crash. Take things very slow and be kind to yourself. Remind yourself that “this too shall pass,” and that any foul mood or feelings of depression are due to lack of dopamine.
You may even feel suicidal, as we need dopamine to feel okay about life. If you think you are at a risk of harming yourself, please call The Toronto Distress Hotline: 416-408-HELP (4357), who are available 24 hours, 7 days per week, or else 9-1-1. You can also talk to one of their online counsellors by clicking here.
If you normally feel depressed even at times when you are not using or crashing, you might benefit from the help of a counselor, which you can find be checking our our Community Services & Resources Section.
Do’s and Don’t’s of Crash Management.
Do:
- Accept your comedown
- Be kind to yourself
- Hydrate regularly
- Eat regular meals. This will help with dopamine replenishment and stabilize your mood
- Cancel unnecessary appointments
- Sleep as much as you need to / are able
- Let your friends, family or anyone depending on you know where you are in case you sleep through phone calls or texts
- Take a pause on any confronting conversations or personal communications until you feel better
- Call The Toronto Distress Hotline: 416-408-HELP (4357) or talk to one of their online counsellors by clicking here, or else call 9-1-1 if you are seriously contemplating suicide.
Do Not:
- Use more meth or other drugs to counteract low mood or energy
- Make big life decisions, such as ending relationships or jobs
- Send angry, accusative emails to all your contacts or posts on Facebook
- Get into arguments with your loved ones. Your negative thoughts about them are possibly due to lack of dopamine. Put tense conversations on hold until you feel better.
It takes time for dopamine to replenish. Accept your come down. Doing more meth when crashing delays the inevitable and prolongs the length of time our crash lasts.
Learn about the Tina crash cycle, by checking this video clip, “Meth Inside & Out: Brain & Behaviour – The Crash”: