People who habitually use amphetamines rapidly develop tolerance as part of dependence. The amount ultimately used may be more than several times the original dose. Most people using very high doses over several days or weeks become confused and psychotic because amphetamines can cause severe anxiety, paranoia, and a distorted sense of reality. Amphetamines are stimulant drugs that are used to treat certain medical conditions but are also subject to abuse.
What should I tell my healthcare provider before starting amphetamines?
Truck drivers, students and athletes were especially likely to abuse amphetamines. Even recently, soldiers have been given amphetamines for endurance in battle. People with eating disorders may use these drugs to try to lose weight. To diagnose amphetamine toxicity, other toxicities need to be explored, including toxicities to cocaine, methylxanthine, phencyclidine, and other sympathomimetics. Schizophrenia, mania, alcohol withdrawal, and meningitis should also be considered.
Drug addiction (substance use disorder)
You are not able to control your use of it and you need it to get through daily life. A person should seek professional help if they have concerns about their mental health. A person should make sure that they take their prescription drugs as their doctor instructs and read any leaflet information to check for potential interactions with alcohol and other https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/the-abstinence-violation-effect-meaning-when-recovering/ drugs. A person should only take medication that a doctor prescribes for them and should store their medications safely.
Amphetamine Addiction: Uses, Side Effects, and Treatment
If you take an immediate-release amphetamine, wait at least four to six hours before drinking any alcohol. If you take an extended-release amphetamine, wait at least eight hours before drinking alcohol. Talk to your healthcare provider if you become dependent on any drug you are taking. As with similar stimulants, methamphetamine is most often used in a “binge and crash” pattern.
They act like adrenaline, a hormone that is one of the body’s natural stimulants. Other drugs with similar effects include cocaine, ecstasy, caffeine, and many others. When patients appear intoxicated and have symptoms consistent with amphetamine toxicity, testing for metabolites of amphetamine can be useful to confirm a diagnosis of the condition. Obtaining an accurate medication history for the patient may allow a diagnosis to be made independently of drug metabolite testing.
Are Amphetamines Addictive?
- The goal is to help you understand your behaviors and why you use amphetamines.
- The effects of these drugs can be dangerous and unpredictable, as there is no quality control and some ingredients may not be known.
- The percentage of abstinence from amphetamines had a range from 40.8% 21 to 58.3% 20 among treated participants at six-month follow-up.
Hypertension related to amphetamine toxicity may abate with agitation treatment. However, some patients may require antihypertensive treatment to combat hypertensive urgency or emergency. Peripheral vasodilators like nitroglycerin and nicardipine may be amphetamine addiction effective in lowering blood pressure. Beta-blockers should not be used as sole antihypertensive therapies as their use may lead to unopposed ?-adrenergic tone and a worsened hypertensive state. Similarly to hypertension, hyperthermia may abate with the treatment of agitation.
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