Amphetamine Addiction

Outside of a medical setting, people of all ages and walks of life use and abuse amphetamines to get high. Perhaps the most recognized population of amphetamine abusers is college students, a group known for “smart doping,” or using amphetamines without a prescription in order to help boost grades. This is a myth, however, because research shows this is not an effective study method for people who do not have ADHD, and amphetamine abuse does not actually result in higher scores for that group of people. They do not actually need the flood of brain chemicals. As pressure to achieve academically increases, high schoolers are also beginning this unfortunate trend. On the street, abusers are more likely to use methamphetamine, which is more commonly known as simply meth. This illicit amphetamine drug, which may look like powder or shattered glass, rose to widespread fame when it was the focus of the popular television series Breaking Bad.

You may have heard the term “amphetamine salts” and wondered if that differs from regular amphetamine drugs found on the street. The former refers to the amphetamine mixture that makes up generic Adderall. This is because the combination of substances used to create medical-grade Adderall is chemically considered to be a salt.

Most amphetamine drugs have been around long enough that they have generic equivalents. However, some newer drugs, such as the time-released Vyvanse, are still only available under their brand-name formulations. Only about 6 percent of amphetamine users with a prescription use the brand-name medications, which means the remaining 94 percent opt for generic versions of these drugs. Here are the most popular amphetamine brand-names and their delivery methods:

Despite these barriers to obtaining illicit amphetamines, people still manage to acquire the drugs. However, it is very easy to become dependent and then addicted to an amphetamine — even if you are using it under your doctor’s supervision. In fact, studies have found that people with ADHD are just as likely or less likely than those without the condition of developing addiction. Whether you are taking amphetamines medically or illicitly, regular use puts you at a greater risk for physical and psychological addiction. This is because addiction is a brain disease, and amphetamines can actually change the brain’s structure. Over time, those changes in the brain’s chemical makeup can cause lasting addiction.

Among the first signs of amphetamine addiction is tolerance. This means that you require increasing amounts of the drug to obtain the same effect you once got. Additionally, here are some of the most common signs of amphetamine addiction: Personality changes, Decreased appetite and/or weight loss, Bouts of unexplained euphoria followed by a “crash” in energy, Frequent discussion of amphetamines, Prematurely aged appearance, Insomnia.

These drugs should be used with caution — if at all. Only a medical doctor can decide whether the potential benefits of taking an amphetamine outweighs the risks of the drug.

Amphetamines, on the other hand, are made to speed up the central nervous system. Combining these disparate substances can result in dangerous consequences such as extremely high blood pressure and body temperature. Among the most distressing and problematic results of “upper and downer” drug mixing is overdose. This occurs because the amphetamine or “upper” camouflages the fact that a person has taken too much of the “downer” drug, which may be alcohol or heroin. By the time a user recognizes that they have taken too much of the downer and are in trouble, it may be too late to get help. In too many tragic cases, the user dies before they even recognize that they were in grave danger.

• Amphetamines are the second most commonly used drugs in the world, after cannabis.
• About 13 million Americans have abused amphetamines.
• People who abuse Adderall are more likely to abuse other drugs as well.
• One study found that almost 90 percent of college students who abuse Adderall also practice regular binge drinking.
• Among high schoolers in grades 10 – 12, approximately 15 percent have abused an amphetamine drug at least once.
• Adderall and other Amphetamines can stay in your system for between 1-3 days after last use.