Substance use amphetamines: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

Misusing or taking amphetamines that your provider did not prescribe to you can cause dangerous side effects and could lead to addiction or death. 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 https://ecosoberhouse.com/ a “rush” or a euphoric feeling that makes you happy and elevates your mood. This sensation is something that can cause addiction because people might look to feel that rush more often than they should, as prescribed by their healthcare provider. Talk to your healthcare provider about the medicines and supplements that you’re currently taking before starting amphetamines.

• These drugs are made illegally, and there is no control over their contents.
• A review indicated that the long-term efficacy of behavioral interventions is high in terms of treating substance abuse [26].
• Most agree that psychosis following amphetamine use is characterized by persecutory delusions, visual hallucinations, and symptoms resembling acute psychosis most commonly observed in schizophrenia.

Amphetamine is FDA-approved for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. It has indications as a first-line agent for ADHD in adults and children six years of age and older. Amphetamine is also a second-line agent for the treatment of narcolepsy. Lisdexamfetamine, a long-acting amphetamine medication, is FDA-approved for the treatment of a binge-eating disorder. People who misuse these drugs may also experience serious effects when the drug is used long term.

Amphetamines’ Effects on Your Brain

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 shouldn’t drink alcohol while taking amphetamines because it could cause an unsafe reaction Amphetamine Addiction in your body that could lead to addiction. 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.

Treatment may be long-term and may involve periods of difficulty as a person adjusts to their life without substance use. If a person suspects that they may have a drug misuse problem, then they should consult a medical professional. It is important for people to remember that they do not need to feel embarrassed about seeking help. These changes to the brain mean that a person may always be at risk of using a substance again, even if they have not used it for a long time. Identifying addiction isn’t always easy and it’s best to leave diagnosis to healthcare professionals. However, it can be helpful to know the diagnostic criteria if you think that you or someone you care about has an addiction to amphetamines.

What are the brand names of amphetamines?

METH comes in different forms and can be smoked, inhaled, injected, or orally consumed. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, smoking METH is the most common way of abuse. Patients who smoke or inject METH experience a strong “flash” which sometimes potentiate drug addiction with adverse health outcomes.

By the time a person realizes they are overdosing, it may be too late to get help. In many tragic cases, a person dies before they know that they were in danger. Several currently marketed amphetamine formulations contain both enantiomers, including those marketed under the brand names Adderall, Adderall XR, Mydayis,[note 1] Adzenys ER, Adzenys XR-ODT, Dyanavel XR, Evekeo, and Evekeo ODT. A prodrug form of dextroamphetamine, lisdexamfetamine, is also available and is marketed under the brand name Vyvanse. If you have severe withdrawal symptoms, you may need to stay at a live-in treatment program. Amphetamines are illegal when they are used without a prescription to get high or improve performance.

Treatment and Therapies for Amphetamine Abuse and Addiction

Data were managed in Covidence [23] up to the point of data extraction; due to the large variation in outcome measures, data extraction was completed on identical spreadsheets by the two reviewers and compared for consistency. One priority for clinicians and researchers alike has been to establish an effective pharmacotherapy for SUD. Target pharmacotherapies have considered the mechanism of action of AMPH/MA, which affects neurotransmitters through a number of mechanisms. Consumption of MA triggers a cascading release of norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin.