Quick answer
No medication is FDA-approved to treat methamphetamine use disorder, so the evidence-based treatments are behavioral — contingency management and cognitive behavioral therapy, sometimes with a naltrexone–bupropion combination studied by NIDA. Within 30 miles of Wilkes-Barre, 17 treatment programs offer contingency management. Call (800) 653-9376 free, or 988 in a crisis.
Published: 2026-10-24 Updated: 2026-10-24
Methamphetamine Treatment in Wilkes-Barre, PA
Wilkes-Barre is the seat of Luzerne County in northeastern Pennsylvania, a city of about 44,700 people. Methamphetamine is a potent stimulant with high addiction potential — and while there is no approved medication that treats it, the behavioral treatments that work are available here.
If someone has chest pain, a dangerously high heart rate, agitation, or a seizure, call 911. For a mental health or substance use crisis, call or text 988.
Is methamphetamine addiction treatable in Wilkes-Barre?
It depends on what you need first. If you are caught in a binge-and-crash cycle, behavioral therapy is the evidence-based route, because no medication is approved for stimulant use disorder. If you have already stopped and keep relapsing, contingency management — structured incentives for verified abstinence — is one of the best-supported tools. If you are using to cope with depression, anxiety, or trauma, treating both at once matters as much as the meth itself. If you are in medical distress from stimulant use, 911 comes first.
Which treatments actually work
NIDA reports there are no FDA-approved medications for stimulant use disorder, so treatment centers on behavioral approaches:
- Contingency management — rewards verified abstinence; within 30 miles of Wilkes-Barre, 17 programs offer it.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy — helps you recognize and change the situations and thoughts that lead to use.
- Intensive outpatient programs — structure several times a week for people who need more than a weekly session.
- A medication combination under study. A NIDA-supported trial found that injectable naltrexone plus oral bupropion helped some people with moderate to severe methamphetamine use disorder. It is not an approved maintenance treatment, but a clinician may discuss it.
What withdrawal feels like
NIDA notes that long-term methamphetamine use can cause insomnia, memory loss, and other health problems, and that stopping after heavy use often brings a crash — fatigue, low mood, anxiety, sleep problems, and intense cravings that can last days to weeks. It is not usually medically dangerous the way alcohol or benzodiazepine withdrawal can be, but that low period is a common reason people return to use. An assessment before you stop, plus a counselor to call, makes it easier to get through.
A fentanyl warning for anyone using stimulants
NIDA notes that methamphetamine, taken alone or combined with fentanyl, contributes to the U.S. overdose crisis, and that fentanyl is frequently mixed into other drugs. A stimulant can therefore carry an opioid overdose risk, and naloxone reverses opioid overdoses. Free and low-cost naloxone is available at Pennsylvania pharmacies under the state's standing order, and the county program at 570-826-8790 can help you find kits. Call 911 with any suspected overdose.
Where to get care near Wilkes-Barre
Per the SAMHSA treatment locator, within 30 miles of Wilkes-Barre there are 31 substance use treatment facilities, 11 of them in the city. Seventeen offer contingency management, 25 offer outpatient care, 15 run intensive outpatient programs, and 9 offer residential treatment.
The public path starts with the Luzerne/Wyoming Counties Drug and Alcohol Program at 570-826-8790 (20 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Penn Place Building, Suite 218, Wilkes-Barre), which provides assessment and referral. The 24-hour Help Line at 888-829-1341 offers information and referral.
What the local data show
CDC's provisional county-level data count 58 drug overdose deaths in Luzerne County in the 12 months ending March 31, 2026, provisional figures revised as toxicology results are finalized. Stimulants are increasingly involved alongside opioids in these deaths, which is why naloxone is worth keeping on hand even if a person does not consider themselves an opioid user.
Crisis lines and emergencies
- Chest pain, seizure, agitation, or unresponsiveness — call 911.
- 988 — call or text, the national suicide and crisis line, for any crisis.
- Luzerne County Help Line — 888-829-1341, available 24 hours a day.
- PA Get Help Now — 1-800-662-4357, 24/7 drug and alcohol referrals anywhere in Pennsylvania.
How to start today
- In a medical emergency, call 911. For a crisis, call or text 988, or call the Help Line at 888-829-1341.
- Call or text (800) 653-9376 to talk through treatment options with a person, or use this form:
Calling is free; the referral service is paid for by treatment providers, and we check your benefits before you commit.
- Ask about contingency management when you call — it is one of the best-evidenced approaches for methamphetamine and cocaine, and 17 programs near Wilkes-Barre offer it.
- Call the Luzerne/Wyoming Counties Drug and Alcohol Program at 570-826-8790 for assessment and referral.
Methamphetamine use disorder is treatable, and the therapy that helps it is available in Luzerne County. The first call is usually harder than the first appointment. Other Methamphetamine treatment in Pennsylvania: Methamphetamine treatment in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Methamphetamine treatment in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Methamphetamine treatment in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Methamphetamine treatment in Erie, Pennsylvania, Methamphetamine treatment in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Methamphetamine treatment in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Methamphetamine treatment in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Methamphetamine treatment in New Castle, Pennsylvania, Methamphetamine treatment in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Methamphetamine treatment in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Methamphetamine treatment in Reading, Pennsylvania, Methamphetamine treatment in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Last updated: Sat Oct 24 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Frequently asked questions
Is there a medication for methamphetamine addiction?
No medication is FDA-approved for methamphetamine use disorder. NIDA reports that behavioral treatments — contingency management and cognitive behavioral therapy — have the strongest evidence, and a NIDA-supported trial found a combination of injectable naltrexone and oral bupropion helped some people with moderate to severe methamphetamine use disorder.
What is methamphetamine withdrawal like?
NIDA describes withdrawal after heavy use as including a crash with fatigue, low mood, anxiety, sleep problems, and intense cravings that can last days to weeks. It is not usually medically dangerous the way alcohol or benzodiazepine withdrawal can be, but the low period is a common trigger for return to use, so a counselor can help you plan around it.
Where can I get meth treatment near Wilkes-Barre?
The SAMHSA locator lists 31 substance use treatment facilities within 30 miles of Wilkes-Barre, 11 of them in the city. Seventeen offer contingency management, 25 offer outpatient care, 15 run intensive outpatient programs, and 9 offer residential treatment. The Luzerne/Wyoming Counties Drug and Alcohol Program at 570-826-8790 can assess and refer you.
Can methamphetamine be mixed with fentanyl?
Yes. NIDA notes that methamphetamine, taken alone or combined with fentanyl, contributes to the U.S. overdose crisis. Fentanyl is frequently mixed into other drugs, so a stimulant can carry an opioid overdose risk. Naloxone reverses opioid overdoses and is available at Pennsylvania pharmacies under the state's standing order.
Does Medical Assistance cover meth treatment in Luzerne County?
Yes, for eligible members. Pennsylvania Medical Assistance covers medically necessary substance use disorder treatment, including counseling and intensive outpatient care, and 28 of the 31 facilities listed within 30 miles of Wilkes-Barre accept Medicaid. Confirm network and prior authorization with your plan.