Amphetamines: Types, effects, addiction, and treatment

This comprises both studies that only enrolled males (nine studies, 21%) 24, 29, 30, 34, 46, 52, 55, 57, 58 and those enrolling both males and females but with higher male enrolments. Thirty-four (79.1%) of the studies we reviewed excluded participants with depression or psychotic disorders, or those taking an antidepressant or antipsychotic medication. Yes, medications like antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs can help manage withdrawal symptoms and co-occurring mental health issues. However, there is no specific medication approved solely for treating amphetamine addiction. This page provides information on the types of amphetamines and signs of amphetamine addiction, and it explains the ways this drug can be misused.

Are amphetamines a controlled substance?

• By implementing this scale more broadly and across diverse cultural contexts, healthcare practitioners can better tailor interventions to support resilience and mitigate the risk of amphetamine relapse.
• Always follow your healthcare provider’s instructions when taking amphetamines.
• Topiramate was assessed in two studies reviewed here 32, 55, demonstrating reduced use and addiction severity compared with placebo.
• Irrespective of the promise of pharmacotherapy, effective treatment of substance use disorders requires comprehensive biopsychosocial intervention.
• A single, recent American study assessed varenicline (1 mg po BD) as a pharmacotherapy for MA dependence 27.
• Most forms of prescription amphetamines come in the form of pills or tablets but will occasionally be administered orally as a liquid.

This is part of our ongoing commitment to ensure FHE Health is trusted as a leader in mental health and addiction care. Another study, published by Science Direct5 noted a significant increase in the number of people using amphetamines dying from overdoses. It found that from 1987 to 2011, the number of people dying was significantly higher if they injected the drug, which isn’t a typical use. Though the use of amphetamine in young adults is higher than that of other drugs, the number of deaths from amphetamine use and overdose are significantly fewer than opioids.

• There are stories of redemption, of tragedy, of the unrelenting grip of dependency, all brought to life by powerful performances that ensure the movies leave a lasting impact.
• Finally, because of the similarities in chemical structure and behavioural, psychological and physical effects of AMPH and MA 84, we have included studies of AMPH and MA, and studies that did not distinguish between AMPH and MA.
• Resilience is not about avoiding difficulties, but about how one responds to them, often leading to personal growth, improved coping skills, and the capacity to thrive despite setbacks17,18.
• Truck drivers, students and athletes were especially likely to abuse amphetamines.

Therapy

Adolescents may also possess a higher potential for resilience, as they are in a critical period of cognitive and emotional development, making them potentially more responsive to interventions that target resilience20. Although adherence was reported in most of the studies reviewed here, the methods and definitions were discordant across studies. When plasma was assessed for active study drug/metabolite, there was no measurable metabolite included in the placebo, and the control data is therefore missing. Furthermore, presence of the study drug/metabolite does not necessarily indicate adherent consumption of the study drug, and authors varied in their assessments in that regard (i.e. present or not versus present at a defined level).

Amphetamine Addiction Treatment

Evidence-based treatments like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) help modify negative thinking and behavior patterns. Aftercare initiatives, including structured aftercare plans, alumni programs, and sober living arrangements, provide ongoing support to prevent relapse and foster long-term sobriety. Mentally, chronic misuse induces psychosis, characterized by hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia, and increases the risk of aggressive behavior. These effects underscore the need for comprehensive treatment approaches to address physical and psychological health. Amphetamines stimulate the release of dopamine in the brain, creating intense feelings of euphoria, confidence, and heightened alertness.

Can You Overdose on Amphetamines?

For example, the role of antipsychotic and antidepressant medications may differ in patients presenting with psychosis or depression. Similarly, dependence to other substances such as alcohol, benzodiazepines or opioids is also likely to impact upon the safety and efficacy and choice of medications. Other comorbidities that continue to be poorly addressed include the management of patients with stimulant dependence and comorbid attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Accurate diagnoses of ADHD in the context of AMPH/MA use can be complicated 82, and there may be differential effects of medications in patients with both conditions. More research is required regarding pharmacological responses for patients with ADHD and stimulant use disorders.

Psychological Symptoms

The most consistent positive findings have been demonstrated with stimulant agonist treatment (dexamphetamine and methylphenidate), naltrexone and topiramate. Less consistent benefits have been shown with bupropion, the glutamatergic agent, riluzole, and antidepressant mirtazapine, whilst in general, antidepressant medications (e.g. SSRIs, TCAs) have not been effective in reducing AMPH/MA use. We reviewed pexacerfont in one study, a 3-week trial of 51 Iranian men within residential treatment camps where treatment is not normally provided 52. Dosing was tapered from 300 mg po OD for the first week, to 200 mg po OD in Week 2 Amphetamine Addiction and 100 mg po OD in Week 3.

Amphetamines produce dopamine, the neurotransmitter that causes happiness and euphoria, and feelings of reward and pleasure in the limbic reward system of the brain. This artificial production of dopamine is highly addictive and causes many to become hooked on abusing amphetamines. Similarly, the choice between residential or ambulatory treatment settings for longer term rehabilitation programmes may be determined by factors such as social supports, housing, employment and legal status of the patient. The 43 studies examined 23 individual pharmacotherapies, most individually and some in combination.

Types of Amphetamines

If you or someone you love are struggling with Adderall addiction or addiction to other amphetamines or stimulants, American Addiction Centers (AAC) is here to help. AAC offers rehab for young adults at Laguna Treatment Center in Southern California and Greenhouse Treatment Center just outside of Dallas. Directed by Darren Aronofsky, Requiem for a Dream is a notoriously uncomfortable movie that serves as an unforgettable cautionary tale. With its rapid-cut montages and hallucinatory sequences, it traps audiences within the characters’ warped realities.

Approved by the FDA in the what is alcoholism early 2000s, Adderall is an amphetamine and dextroamphetamine combined. If you experience withdrawal symptoms while you’re following your prescribed schedule, talk with your healthcare provider. If you’re dependent on amphetamines and are taking more than the required daily amount prescribed by your healthcare provider, you shouldn’t breastfeed. Yes, amphetamines can pass into breast milk at low levels if parents follow the provider-prescribed dosage. If you are taking amphetamines as a new parent, talk with your provider about whether or not it is safe to breastfeed. Drug education programs may reduce the odds for new amphetamine use or a relapse, but study results are mixed.