Amphetamine is a stimulant medication (part of the stimulant drugs family) that affects the central nervous system. Its use causes an increase in specific types of brain activity, leading to feelings of increased energy, attention, confidence, and a dose-dependent rewarding euphoria. Amphetamine was initially manufactured in Germany in the late 1800s, but it wasn’t until the 1930s that its stimulant qualities were identified when it was tried to treat nasal congestion.
Amphetamine was first prescribed to treat a range of illnesses, including alcohol hangovers and weight loss. It was also used to treat two illnesses that are still recognised today: hyperactivity in children (including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and narcolepsy, which causes people to fall asleep unexpectedly. Sporadically it’s used to treat depression.
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Amphetamine or its two active components are found in a variety of prescription drugs, including:
Dextroamphetamine is one of two active components of amphetamine, the other being levoamphetamine. Dextroamphetamine is more powerful than levoamphetamine and much more powerful than amphetamine. Methamphetamine, a highly addictive and deadly illicit stimulant with a powerful euphoric impact, is another well-known drug with a structure similar to amphetamine but a significantly stronger effect. The club drug ecstasy, Molly, or MDMA are all forms of amphetamine with a mind-altering effect.
Amphetamines can be used orally or intravenously for medical purposes. The substance can be taken orally, intravenously, intramuscularly, or even rectally when used recreationally. When amphetamine is snorted or inhaled, it swiftly penetrates the mucous membrane and has an immediate effect. According to a 2012 study, inhaling was the principal method of abuse for 8% of prescription medication abusers.
Amphetamine misuse can take many forms. Of course, you might simply take the pills and get a slight high that way. Some people, however, smash the tablets and snort them to get a faster and stronger high. Dissolving the powder in water and injecting it is one of the easiest methods to get high on amphetamine or methamphetamine. This approach rapidly delivers the drug to the circulation and brain, resulting in a powerful high.
Off-label usage of amphetamine as a study aid is common among students. These people believe that the increased energy and focus that the substance provides can help them perform better on tests and in school. However, kids who use amphetamines do not do better in school – in fact, they frequently perform worse. The drug makes people feel like they can focus more and perform better; however, it’s just a feeling. More importantly, this level of use can lead to more severe and illegal drug use.
Amphetamines are stimulants. They treat narcolepsy, a sleep disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Medical specialists have also employed them to treat various illnesses.
Amphetamines include dextroamphetamine and methamphetamine, and they are often sold illegally. Amphetamines, both prescribed and illegal, can be abused and lead to addiction. The most frequently abused amphetamine is methamphetamine.
Amphetamine dependence is a disorder in which you require the drug daily to operate. If you’re addicted to a drug and stop taking it suddenly, you’ll experience withdrawal symptoms.
In the short term, amphetamine use causes feelings of euphoria and vitality, as well as a faster rate of thought and speech, a desire to move (mainly to dance), enhanced libido, and, with some substituted amphetamines – most notably ecstasy – feelings of high empathy with one’s friends.
Twitchy eyes, jaw clenching and teeth grinding, tremors and spasms are all prominent physical signs of use. These can result in a variety of significant health problems. Overdose is a constant worry; several people have died after only one dose of amphetamines.
Amphetamine addiction has been linked to cardiovascular and respiratory problems, including potentially deadly ones and seizures and stroke. Amphetamine injectors are at risk of getting HIV/AIDS.
There is no single cause for any addiction. Amphetamine abuse is caused by several interconnected variables, including:
Amphetamines affect the nerve system, increasing your energy levels and sensation of well-being and making you feel more self-confident and active in social circumstances. Many people are drawn to the drug because of its euphoric effect.
The “buzz” from using amphetamine, like many other central nervous system stimulants, is highly addictive and can lead you to use it frequently. The brain is made up of nerve cells (neurons) that communicate with one another via substances called neurotransmitters. Amphetamines work by increasing norepinephrine and dopamine production. They regulate attentiveness, blood flow, muscular coordination, motivation, and reward, among other things.
This pleasurable sensation is what keeps people coming back. Tolerance to amphetamines develops in people who take them often. This implies increasing their dosage over time to achieve the same effects. Pursuing that elusive “first high” leads to a psychological need that signals dependency. Your brain will eventually adjust to accept amphetamine as a chemical component of its structure; your body will develop tolerance to the substance, and dependence will develop with the body going into withdrawal when it is not given the substance.
If you do any of the following, you may be at a higher risk of having a stimulant use disorder:
The only way to be sure of not developing substance use disorder is to avoid taking the substance. It’s the same with this amphetamine. If that fails, restricting their use to once every few weeks (rather than injecting them intravenously), sticking to a low dose, and not mixing them with other substances (including alcohol) are all fundamental strategies that should help prevent amphetamine use disorder.
Drug education programmes may lower the risk of new amphetamine use or relapse, although inconsistent research findings. Counselling can also be beneficial for emotional and family support. However, none of these has been shown to prevent amphetamine use in all people.
When using amphetamines for recreational purposes, there are risks, including the possibility of developing an addiction. Among those risks are:
One of the most significant risks of using these drugs is the fundamental modifications that can develop in the brain. Amphetamines can destroy grey matter in the brain and dopamine receptors altering the way the brain functions and affecting a person’s ability to stop using and avoid relapse.
These symptoms are frequently increased with time. Blood arteries and the heart can be damaged by high blood pressure, and elevated body temperature can damage organs and tissues. Low appetite can lead to poor eating habits, leading to malnutrition, which can harm the body and mind.
These issues can be worsened with methamphetamine, resulting in serious dental disease due to poor eating habits and a lack of saliva, which leads to major infections and tooth loss. Furthermore, meth use can cause skin damage due to hallucinations that something is “crawling” beneath the skin, causing users to scratch at sores that do not heal due to weakened blood circulation.
When amphetamine is abused, some of the drug’s negative consequences become apparent quickly. It is crucial to break the habit during this time to recover fully.
Amphetamine abuse is essentially a psychological addiction, and its long-term effects have a considerable impact on the mind. When amphetamine abuse continues for a long time, the consequences can be disastrous. Aside from changes in physical appearance, a variety of health issues may arise.
Amphetamine-related psychiatric disorders are typically linked to acute and chronic use of amphetamine, and these disorders have been investigated extensively for methamphetamine in particular.
If you’re addicted to amphetamine, withdrawal is a common reaction to the drug’s absence from your system. When you don’t use amphetamine, it causes unpleasant reactions since the brain has changed its structure to recognise it as essential to its function.
Depending on your level of dependence, withdrawal might take anywhere from three to more than twelve hours. It is an essential aspect of detoxification, and complete recovery is impossible without it.
Amphetamine addicts frequently experience significant physical and psychological suffering. The effects of abruptly stopping the medication are unpleasant.
Among them are:
Amphetamine detox should be done under the supervision of trained medical personnel in a controlled environment. Accredited rehab institutions provide patients with 24-hour medical care to make withdrawal easier. Analgesics and sleep medications may be used to relieve discomfort.
Many amphetamine users engage in polydrug usage because they believe that other substances will increase the amphetamine’s effects. Alcohol and marijuana are the most commonly utilised substances. Sedatives like heroin are sometimes used with amphetamines for a stronger effect.
Multiple drug use makes it more difficult to detox and recover from substance abuse. However, addiction to amphetamines and comparable stimulants and the polydrug abuse that commonly happens with these substances can be efficiently treated.
Overdosing is a concern if you use amphetamine frequently. An overdose happens when a person unintentionally or intentionally consumes a higher dose than is permitted, resulting in a medical emergency. Overdose symptoms include:
Amphetamine has dangerous adverse effects, and people who have become addicted to it should get help right away. At Compare Rehab UK, we understand the dangers of amphetamine addiction and the numerous withdrawal symptoms that can arise when users try to quit.
As a result, we suggest contacting our specialists for further information and advice on the many treatments available. In most cases, it’s best to go through a medically supervised detox programme to ensure that all traces of the drug are removed from your system.
People who are detoxing from amphetamines are prone to have significant cravings for the drug. Severe exhaustion, anxiety, depression, and a sense of worthlessness are all common symptoms of withdrawal. Because amphetamines have provided energy for so long, individuals who stop using them may become tired and ill.
The good news is that amphetamine addicts will find detoxing easier under the supervision of medically qualified personnel. Fully trained personnel can provide contact assistance and care while always guaranteeing the patient’s safety.
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Detoxification is the initial stage of treatment. A detox centre is not available at every facility. If this is the case, you can detox at a hospital or clinic before entering rehab for a full recovery.
The removal of all traces of amphetamine from your body is known as amphetamine detox. You must go through withdrawal to achieve this. It won’t be simple because withdrawal might be a very unpleasant experience.
Detoxification might last anywhere from a few hours to several days. Because people’s levels of dependence change depending on their history, using patterns, BMI, metabolism, and other personal characteristics, this differs from person to person.
Amphetamine addiction is a serious condition that requires long-term care. This means that even if you stop using the drug, you must continue to undergo treatment. You may develop a relapse if you do not receive the correct treatment. Relapse prevention is an essential element of drug addiction therapy, and it aims to avoid relapses by teaching you how to recognise relapse warning signals. It also aids in the development of coping skills that allow you to deal with difficult situations without resorting to drug use.
While undergoing medical detox, medications that lessen a person’s craving for amphetamine (cutting the odds of relapse) or let them sleep through the night can improve their quality of life. These drugs act by blocking certain brain chemicals involved in the reward system (opioids, dopamine, glutamate, GABA, and so on). They also impact other neurotransmitters like serotonin; however, all of these drugs have adverse effects that a doctor should constantly monitor. When paired with behavioural therapy, these drugs have been found to boost abstinence rates among people with severe amphetamine addiction problems.
Rehabilitation therapy follows detoxification as the next stage of treatment. If your addiction is severe, you should seek treatment at an inpatient rehab facility. On the other hand, outpatient rehab is appropriate if you are less dependent on amphetamines and want to maintain a regular work or school routine.
Meeting with an addiction specialist to determine the root cause of your substance abuse is part of therapy. The expert will also assist you in developing good behaviours to help you conquer cravings and avoid relapse. Other aspects of therapy include group sessions with other patients and exercises and personal crafts.
Options for therapy include:
You’ll also develop a solid support network in rehab that will assist you once you leave.
CBT is a talking treatment that seeks to improve how a patient thinks and behaves. During CBT sessions, you will focus on your negative thoughts and behaviours and how they make you feel. By examining how you now think and act, you can learn how to produce new alternatives to help you cope better with specific life situations without recurring to drugs like amphetamines.
CBT is primarily intended as a short-term therapeutic method and is not administered for an extended time. It’ll probably happen in hourly sessions over the course of several weeks. It could happen once or twice a week, for example, as part of an inpatient rehabilitation programme for the duration of the treatment.
CBT isn’t a one-size-fits-all treatment option. CBT works overtime, and the results will be seen. When used as part of a comprehensive recovery programme, it can help with various health problems. It is especially beneficial in cases of anxiety and despair.
If you believe your amphetamine use has become a problem, you are the only one who can take the first step toward recovery. Accept your situation and seek treatment as soon as possible. Countless amphetamine addicts have been successfully treated by various rehab clinics and organisations across the UK, and you can be one of them. Speak with your doctor or one of our addiction specialists, and take the first steps back to happiness and healthy life. Call us on 0800 999 1083 for confidential help and to discuss treatment options.
BACP accredited psychotherapist with 16 years experience working in mental health specialising in psychodynamic person-centred therapies treating those with a range of mental health disorders including anxiety, depression, OCD and Addiction.
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