Still holding it together on crystal? Get help before it falls apart.

Signs crystal meth has become a problem

• Weekends stretch longer, with little or no sleep
• You crash early in the week and blame it on being “run down”
• You use to get through work, keep up energy or stay confident socially
• Money disappears, or you hide what you spend
• You feel paranoid, suspicious or on edge, especially when coming down
• You lose weight without trying, or forget to eat
• You’ve told yourself “this is the last time” more than once

If a few of these sound familiar, take the free Drug Abuse Screening Audit. It’s private, takes a few minutes, and nothing is saved or sent.

How Urban Recovery helps

Most treatment focuses on getting you to stop. We focus on what comes after: rebuilding your health, relationships, purpose and habits, so you build a life you don’t need to escape from. You stay at home and keep working while you do it.

• Assessment (R750, 45 minutes): a confidential conversation with Steven that looks at the whole picture and gives you a clear plan.
• REBUILD programme (8 months, one afternoon a week, R3 850 a month): 12 practical modules in a small group, in Centurion or on Zoom.
• Recovery coaching (R850 a session): one-on-one support with goals and accountability.
• Monday support groups (free): every Monday from 19:00 in Centurion or on Zoom, for you and the people who love you.

Why stopping is harder than it looks

Crystal floods the brain with dopamine, far more than anything natural can. Over time your brain turns everything else down, so work, family and the things you used to enjoy feel flat without it. That flatness, along with intense cravings and the routines linked to using, is what usually pulls people back.

Recovery means building a life with enough real reward in it that crystal stops looking like the answer. That’s what the REBUILD programme is designed to do.

When to see a doctor

Get medical help straight away if someone is paranoid or hearing and seeing things, hasn’t slept for days, has chest pain or a racing heartbeat, or has taken too much. Call 10177 or 112. Crystal withdrawal isn’t usually physically dangerous, but the crash can bring deep low moods. If you have thoughts of harming yourself, call the SADAG Suicide Crisis Helpline on 0800 567 567. We’ll help you link up with a doctor or psychiatrist if you need one.

Common questions

Do I need rehab to stop using crystal meth?

Not necessarily. Most people can stop without a medical detox and recover while living at home and working, with structured support and a recovery community. If you need psychiatric care or a safe place to stabilise first, we’ll tell you honestly. Read Do I need rehab, or can I get better at home?.

I’m still working and coping. Is it really a problem?

If you’re asking, it’s worth looking at honestly. Many people using crystal still hold down jobs and live at home, but “coping” takes more and more effort to keep up. You don’t have to lose your job, relationship or health before getting help. Read Crystal meth: when the thing that kept you going starts running your life.

Is it confidential?

Yes. What you share stays with us and isn’t shared with your employer, family or anyone else without your consent, except where the law requires it, such as an immediate risk to life. We also don’t claim from medical aid, so your treatment stays off your medical record.

What does it cost?

Assessment: R750 once-off. REBUILD programme: R3 850 a month for 8 months, or R25 500 once-off. Recovery coaching: R850 a session. Monday groups: free. See all treatment options.

Related reading

• Crystal meth: when the thing that kept you going starts running your life
• Getting better without putting your job on the line
• “I’ve been to rehab and I relapsed.” Now what?
• Do I need rehab, or can I get better at home?