Methamphetamine (more commonly known as “methamphetamine”) is a drug closely related to amphetamines but differing in scope and structure. Methamphetamine is a stimulant like Adderall and other amphetamines. Still, it contains a different and even more dangerous chemical structure that allows the drug to interact with the brain faster, making it more potent and more addictive than prescription stimulants.
A danger of methamphetamine is methamphetamine psychosis, sometimes referred to as methamphetamine psychosis. Methamphetamine-induced psychosis is a mental illness caused by methamphetamine use and can occur after the drug has been worn off or during the high. Signs often include hallucinations, delusions, and obsessive behaviors, and people with methamphetamine psychosis can be highly aggressive or irrational. Psychosis is triggered by a cognitive imbalance caused by the rapid increase in dopamine caused by methamphetamine use.
What are amphetamines?
Amphetamines, a class of narcotic psychostimulants that includes drugs like Adderall, Ritalin, and other ADD and ADHD medications, have been overprescribed among young people for decades. This has resulted in a generation of people with easy access to stimulants and little understanding of how dangerous they can be.
Amphetamines are often prescribed for ADD and ADHD. Disorders are caused by insufficient dopamine stimulation in the prefrontal cortex. They have also been named treatments for obesity, narcolepsy, and Parkinson’s disease. As a treatment for ADD and ADHD, amphetamines are thought to be effective because they stimulate increased dopamine production, which allows the prefrontal cortex to maintain more balanced control over the rest of the brain and body.
However, people abuse amphetamines not as a treatment for ADD or ADHD but as a way to get high. Amphetamines work similarly to speed and, like speed, carry an inherent risk of severe adverse health effects. These include a drastic increase in heart rate and blood pressure and a restriction of blood flow around the heart. Long-term use of amphetamines, especially when mixed with other substances, can also have severe mental side effects, including aggression, psychosis, suicidal behavior, and hallucinations.
Treatment for amphetamines and methamphetamines
For people who want to figure out how to quit meth, it’s essential to recognize that detox and recovery almost always require professional supervision. Withdrawal can be intense and painful, and psychosis can also set in. At Retreat’s residential drug treatment centers in Florida, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut, we oversee a secure inpatient detoxification program where patients are monitored and managed 24/7 by nursing staff. And psychology qualified. After detoxification, patients move on to our qualified rehabilitation treatment programs, including treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy and psychotherapy.
General information about the drug
- If your child’s symptoms or conditions do not improve or if they get worse, call your child’s doctor.
- Do not share your child’s medicine with others or give your child someone else’s medicine.
- Some medicines may have another patient information leaflet. If you have any questions about this medicine, talk to your child’s doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
- If you think an overdose has occurred, call your local poison control center or seek medical attention immediately. Be prepared to answer what was ingested, how much, and when.
