Author: Gary Jackson

Substance use amphetamines: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

If you notice you are taking more amphetamines than your recommended daily dose, talk with your provider. If you experience strong drug cravings, you may find it easier to go through amphetamine withdrawal in a hospital setting. Hospitalization may also help if you have negative mood changes, including aggression and suicidal behavior. Treatment focuses on the person who is living with the addiction. With the right support, many people who have experienced SUD go on to live happy lives with strong relationships and positive health outcomes. Pharmacists can answer questions about medication and help people understand medication instructions.

If you’re dependent on amphetamines and are taking more than the required daily amount prescribed by your healthcare provider, you shouldn’t breastfeed (chestfeed). You may become dependent if you use these drugs without a prescription. It’s even possible to develop a use disorder if you take amphetamines according to your doctor’s directions. Amphetamine dependence, a type of stimulant use disorder, occurs when you need the drug to function on a daily basis. You’ll experience symptoms of withdrawal if you’re dependent and you abruptly stop using the drug.

What Are Amphetamine Overdose Symptoms?

In this case, they are known as street, or recreational drugs, and using them can lead to addiction. You should only take the amount of amphetamine as prescribed by your healthcare provider. Misusing or taking amphetamines that your provider did not prescribe to you can cause dangerous side effects and could lead to addiction or death.

The most effective treatments for amphetamine addiction are cognitive-behavioral intervention and contingency-management models. Contingency management interventions, which provide tangible incentives in exchange for engaging in treatment and maintaining abstinence, have also been shown to be effective. Methamphetamine is structurally similar to the neurotransmitter dopamine.

What Are the Treatment Options for Amphetamine Addiction?

All information is confidential and there is no obligation to enter treatment. Nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/methamphetamine/what-methamphetamine. If someone you know has attempted suicide, call 911 or the local emergency number right away. DO NOT leave the person alone, even after you have called for help. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved certain amphetamines to manage and treat ADHD, obesity and narcolepsy, specifically dextroamphetamine and levoamphetamine.

• This could feel like a “rush” or a euphoric feeling that makes you happy and elevates your mood.
• Pharmacists can answer questions about medication and help people understand medication instructions.
• You may continue to crave the stimulant even though you know they’re causing persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problems.
• In certain cases, psychotic symptoms can last for months or years after methamphetamine abuse has ceased.
• Addiction happens when you use amphetamines to get high or improve performance.

This is not the same as substance dependency — the physical symptoms of tolerance and withdrawal. “Addiction” is the term for long-term behavioral, physical, and social changes a person may experience as a result of substance misuse. Everyone’s journey with recovery is different, but asking a healthcare professional, family member, or friend for help is usually the first step. Misuse of prescription drugs, including amphetamines, can lead to addiction. The proper name for addiction to a substance is substance use disorder (SUD).

What are the side effects of amphetamines?

If you experience withdrawal symptoms while you’re following your prescribed schedule, talk with your healthcare provider. To avoid withdrawal symptoms, take your medication exactly as your provider prescribed it to you. Schedule a time to take it every day and stick to that same schedule for the duration that you’re taking the drug. This could feel like a “rush” or a euphoric feeling that makes you happy and elevates your mood.

• Amphetamine dependence, a type of stimulant use disorder, occurs when you need the drug to function on a daily basis.
• The most effective treatments for amphetamine addiction are cognitive-behavioral intervention and contingency-management models.
• A person can recover from drug misuse or SUD and improve their relationships, professional life, sense of self, and physical and mental health.
• Such effects are especially noted when METH is abused intravenously.

A person’s tolerance begins slowly, which could result in dependence over time. If you take amphetamines and feel you are dependent on the drug, talk with your healthcare provider. Yes, your healthcare provider might offer low-dose amphetamines to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in your child, like Adderall ® or Ritalin ®.

If you take an extended-release amphetamine, wait at least eight hours before drinking alcohol. Both amphetamine and methamphetamine are stimulant drugs that have different effects on your body based on the chemicals that make up each drug. You may relapse after treatment and start using amphetamines again. Participating in a 12-step treatment program and getting individual counseling may reduce your chances of relapse and improve your chances for recovery. Your doctor may prescribe medication to ease severe symptoms of withdrawal. Some doctors may prescribe naltrexone to help with your cravings.

Always follow your healthcare provider’s instructions when taking amphetamines. Depending on what type and the dosage of the prescribed amphetamine, take extended-release capsules once daily and immediate-release tablets and oral solutions up to three times per day. Schedule a time each day to take your amphetamines and stick to that schedule. No tests can determine drug misuse or addiction, but a medical professional can discuss a person’s substance use with them and assess possible risk factors that support the possibility.