Amphetamine << am FEHT uh meen >> is one of several drugs that increase physical and mental activity, prevent sleep, and decrease appetite. Many people who take amphetamines become dependent on the drugs, and some users develop a substance use disorder (addiction). Amphetamines can help treat mental and physical disorders. But many people take them illegally for energy or pleasure. The United States and many other countries prohibit the use of amphetamines without a prescription.
Amphetamines include such drugs as Benzedrine, Dexedrine, and methamphetamine. They are sometimes called “bennies,” “pep pills,” “uppers,” or “wakeups.” Methamphetamine is also called “speed” (see Methamphetamine).
Medical uses.
Amphetamines are often prescribed to treat people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Doctors also prescribe amphetamines to treat narcolepsy, an illness that causes sudden, uncontrollable attacks of sleep. In addition, amphetamines calm children with hyperkinesis, a brain disorder that causes constant movement. Physicians do not know why amphetamines have an effect on hyperkinetic children that is opposite to the effect on other patients.
Misuse.
Some people occasionally take amphetamines to stay awake or to increase their confidence and energy for such activities as study or athletics. But amphetamines do little to speed learning, and they may slow it down. In athletics, the drugs increase alertness and may quicken reflex actions. But amphetamines have an unpredictable effect on strength, and they may cause poor judgment.
A person who uses amphetamines regularly develops tolerance—that is, they must take increasingly large doses to get the same effects. In time, the person may feel dizzy, irritable, nervous, or shaky.
Some people take large, repeated doses of amphetamines. Most of these users inject the drugs, but some sniff or swallow them. Such doses produce a sense of joyous excitement. The user becomes extremely active and talkative and feels able to do anything.
When the effects of amphetamines wear off, users sleep for hours. After awakening, they feel hungry, sluggish, and depressed. To feel better, they may start to take amphetamines again. Some users feel so depressed that they attempt suicide.
People who take large, repeated doses of amphetamines may become overly alert, tense, and suspicious. These users may believe that others want to hurt them, and they may try to injure these “enemies.” Amphetamine users may also hallucinate (see, hear, or feel things that are not present). If a person stops using the drugs, the paranoid feelings and hallucinations will probably disappear.
Continued use can cause irreversible damage to blood vessels in the brain, leading to stroke. Use can also cause severe dental decay and tooth loss, known as “meth mouth.” Eventually, the drug may cause physical collapse and even death. However, users can recover from addiction with treatment.
See also Attention deficit disorder; Doping; Drug misuse; Ecstasy.
