Amphetamines, otherwise known as ‘speed’, are stimulant drugs that affect the central nervous system (CNS). Amphetamine use results in increased alertness which means that these types of drugs can be used to treat conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and the sleep disorder, narcolepsy.
Amphetamines are also sometimes referred to as ‘smart drugs’ or ‘club drugs’ and there's widespread use among younger generations who believe these drugs are accessible and ‘safe’ in comparison to more potent drugs such as heroin. Despite this perceived positive image, the effects of an amphetamine addiction on your health and other aspects of your life can be equally as devastating..
The truth is that young people will have no idea what they are buying. The person selling to them might be drunk – but, in any case, they won’t care what they are selling you and there is absolutely no safe way to take illegal drugs.
The symptoms of amphetamine addiction can vary from person to person, and also depend on the amount of the drug that you're consuming, the frequency of your amphetamine use, as well as the type of amphetamine that you've been taking.
Over time, it’s possible that amphetamine abuse can result in long-term health problems, including:
If you or someone you care about is struggling with an amphetamine addiction, then comprehensive treatment at Priory can help to break the cycle of amphetamine abuse and allow you to regain control of your life. Treatment for amphetamine addiction can take place as part of our 28-day addiction treatment programme, which can be tailored to you.
Acknowledging that you need help for a stimulant addiction, or trying to persuade a loved one to get help, can be difficult. At Priory, we aim to ease those concerns by offering a free initial assessment with a specialist addiction therapist. They'll be able to discuss the issues you're facing with addiction in confidence.
After you've discussed your addiction and decided what goals you want to achieve during addiction treatment, a tailored treatment plan built around your specific circumstances will be arranged. This comprehensive approach to treatment enables you to learn healthy coping mechanisms to replace learned thoughts and behaviours that contribute to ongoing addiction. This means that once the drug is out of your system, you're less likely to relapse and turn to the drug in future.
Residential treatment might include a medically assisted detoxification programme as a first step. During this, we'll support you to come off the drug and help you to manage withdrawal symptoms.
During detox, you'll receive 24-hour medical and nursing support, within a safe and understanding environment. We want to make sure that you're as comfortable as possible throughout this process. This first step can appear daunting at first, although you can be assured that you'll be in the best place for getting your addiction under control and continuing your recovery journey.
The length of your detox programme will depend on the severity of your amphetamine addiction and how long you've been using the drug. However, detox usually lasts for between 7 to 10 days.
After you've completed the detox process, you'll be able to continue on an addiction treatment plan involving one-to-one and group therapy sessions to further understand your addiction and the ways you can prevent it from impacting your life in the future.
Counselling for amphetamine addiction aims to support you to give up amphetamines completely, rather than simply reducing the amount you take. We'll help you to manage stressful situations and problems in your life that may previously have led to you taking the drug.
A combination of one-to-one psychotherapy and group therapy sessions work towards building your self-esteem and challenging any unhelpful thoughts and behaviours which lead to a cycle of drug abuse. We use problem-solving talking therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), helping to instil a positive attitude going forward.
Our team of consultant psychiatrists and addiction experts, some of whom are also in recovery themselves, provide an unrivalled insight and approach towards your recovery from amphetamine addiction.
Your amphetamine addiction doesn’t have to be severe for you to get help and support from us. We also offer outpatient addiction therapy, which is suitable for people stepping down from more structured inpatient, detox or day care programmes, and can fit in around other life commitments.
