Amphetamines are stimulants which impact the central nervous system, causing individuals to experience heightened energy, alertness and euphoria.

Some of the most commonly used amphetamines include Adderall and Ritalin, which are commonly prescribed to treat other disorders such as ADHD, by making a person with the condition increase their concentration and decrease impulsiveness, as well as the sleep disorder, narcolepsy.

Addiction to amphetamines can happen if you use the drugs for non-medical reasons. These include using amphetamines as an alternative or in addition to a healthy diet and fitness regime to lose weight, as taking them reduces your appetite while simultaneously fighting off feelings of tiredness.

Known by younger generations as ‘smart drugs’ or ‘study drugs’, amphetamines are also well known on the club scene and within student circles. Because amphetamines overstimulate your brain, they can help people to stay out as late as possible, and as such, have become popular and accessible to club goers.

Some students believe that taking amphetamines will boost their concentration levels when studying, as well as allowing them to stay up as long as they need to when preparing for exams. However, research has indicated that academic performance is not improved when comparing those taking amphetamines and those not using such drugs, with the negative consequences of regularly abusing amphetamines far outweighing the perceived positives.

Because amphetamines are such highly addictive drugs, signs and symptoms of dependence can form quickly.

The mind-altering effects of amphetamine abuse mean that there are many ways of recognising when someone is under the influence of an amphetamine, with physical and mental changes including:

• Increased heart rate and blood pressure
• Paranoia and anxiety
• Difficulty concentrating on work, school or even tasks at home
• Hallucinations
• Insomnia
• Digestive problems
• Mood swings
• Decreased appetite and weight loss

When amphetamine abuse occurs over a prolonged period of time, the physical symptoms mentioned above can often worsen. For example, high blood pressure may lead to heart problems and a greater chance of a heart attack, stroke or heart failure, while a low appetite resulting from continued use of an amphetamine can lead to malnutrition and even damage to the brain.           

Alongside the symptoms of amphetamine abuse, it is also likely that someone taking an amphetamine will go through changes in behaviour as a result of becoming increasingly dependent and ultimately addicted to the drug.

Signs and social symptoms of amphetamine addiction

• Continuing to use amphetamines even when aware of negative consequences
• Spending large amounts of time recovering from using amphetamines
• Obtaining amphetamines illegally and not through an official prescription
• Losing interest in hobbies and areas of life that were once enjoyed
• Financial and relationship problems affected by amphetamine use

Changes to brain structure

Addiction to amphetamines can also result in structural changes to the brain which goes far beyond the short-term stimulating effects such as heightened energy, excitement and feelings of euphoria which make the group of drugs highly addictive.

Taking increasingly high doses over an extended period of time in order to achieve the same effects causes you to become physically and psychologically depending on amphetamines.

This can affect the levels of the chemical dopamine in your brain, which controls functions such as emotions, movements, and feelings of pleasure, which can cause further mental health complications such as symptoms of depression, anxiety and drastic mood swings if you don’t seek out help and support for addiction recovery treatment.

As with other forms of addiction, there isn’t known to be one specific cause or reason for why one person may become addicted to amphetamines and others do not become dependent.

As some people become addicted to amphetamines quicker than others, while some may never become dependent or addicted at all, it is believed that a combination of genetics, brain chemistry, and environment and social factors may combine to increase the likelihood of developing an addiction.

Genetics

If you have an immediate family member with an amphetamine addiction or another related addiction, this can indicate that you may have inherited a predisposition to developing a similar addiction.

However, this doesn’t mean that you would be certain to develop an amphetamine addiction, with other social and environmental factors also playing a role.

Brain structure

One of the major contributing factors to amphetamine addiction is that taking an amphetamine releases ‘feel good’ chemicals such as dopamine in the brain. This is what causes you to want to take the drug again, with long-term use requiring higher doses of the drug to achieve the same effects.

The intensity of the pleasure that you feel when taking amphetamines contributes to how likely you are to develop an addiction.

Social influences

Some of the symptoms of taking amphetamines can seem desirable at first, such as losing weight and not wanting to eat as much, which can be particularly appealing to younger people who want to maintain a desired body image, or increase energy and performance when taking part in sports for example.

Taking amphetamines is also perceived to help people with anxiety disorders in social situations, with side effects of heightened energy and excitement believed to increase confidence and help them to become more talkative. While this may seem appealing, such benefits are short-lived, and make way for more dangerous and uncomfortable symptoms in the long-term.  

Lack of coping strategies

Keeping on top of the pressures of modern working and home life can take its toll to the point of exhaustion. If you are going through a particularly stressful period in your life, such as cramming for exams or going through relationship problems, taking amphetamines recreationally may seem like the only way to escape from your problems.

Visiting Priory for amphetamine addiction detoxification and treatment involves talking therapy sessions which can help you to learn a series of coping techniques, so that if you feel particularly stressed or anxious about life in the future, you will be better able to manage your emotions without relying on amphetamine use.