Pharmacological Treatment of Methamphetamine Amphetamine Dependence: A Systematic Review PMC

Talk to your healthcare provider if you become dependent on any drug you are taking. Stimulants increase the activity of your central nervous system or the part of your brain that sends messages to nerves to tell them how to complete their jobs. Methamphetamine causes increased activity, decreased appetite, and a general sense of well-being.

  • These drugs are made illegally, and there is no control over their contents.
  • There are some suggested pharmacological medications for treating amphetamines abuse [4] which may be used alone or in combination with long-term behavioral interventions [5, 6].
  • At all times, the protection of the patient and the medical staff need to be considered if agitation or psychosis is present.
  • Amphetamine toxicity generally occurs in the setting of recreational use.

Studies are often limited by small sample sizes in defined populations, and with low treatment retention or completion rates. Different treatment options may be indicated for various degrees of severity of disorder. Optimal psychosocial interventions accompanying medication must also be considered.

Who’s at risk for amphetamine dependence?

Volkow says one theory is that naltrexone reduced physiological cravings for meth, while buproprion’s «antidepressant effects» eased the anxiety people experience when they stop using. The project’s lead researcher, Dr. Madhukar Trivedi at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, says the findings were strong enough to give new hope to people struggling with methamphetamine use disorder. People who follow the prescribed, https://ecosoberhouse.com/ therapeutic dose are unlikely to experience severe adverse effects. However, in 2015, after carrying out a small study, researchers suggested that dexamphetamine might be a safe and effective way of boosting people’s motivation for lifestyle changes that can lead to weight loss. Due to concerns over their side effects, however, amphetamines are increasingly being replaced by modafinil, a medication that promotes wakefulness.

Amphetamine Addiction

Amphetamine toxicity generally occurs in the setting of recreational use. METH comes in different forms and can be smoked, inhaled, injected, or orally consumed. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, smoking METH is the most common way of abuse.

Amphetamines’ Effects on Your Brain

It starts working quickly, and its effects can last six to eight hours. After the initial rush, there is typically a state of high agitation that in some individuals may lead to violent behavior. A person can recover from drug misuse or SUD and improve their relationships, professional life, sense of self, and physical and mental health. A person’s first step toward recovery is to reach out to a friend, family member, or healthcare professional to seek help. A person may need help for different types of substances or for mental health conditions alongside substance misuse. A person should make sure that they take their prescription drugs as their doctor instructs and read any leaflet information to check for potential interactions with alcohol and other drugs.

Conducting a traditional systematic review and meta-analyses is predicated on the assumption of studies reporting on similar outcomes, using similar outcome measures, and with similar methodology. However, the data we reviewed herein was disparate in respect to the reported outcomes and measures. This prohibited meta-analysis of the literature but allowed for a comprehensive report Amphetamine Addiction on the current status of the research. One priority for clinicians and researchers alike has been to establish an effective pharmacotherapy for SUD. Target pharmacotherapies have considered the mechanism of action of AMPH/MA, which affects neurotransmitters through a number of mechanisms. Consumption of MA triggers a cascading release of norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin.

Kratom Addiction

One of the quickest ways to get high from amphetamine or methamphetamine is to dissolve the powder in water and inject it. This method gets the drug into the bloodstream and to the brain almost immediately, creating an intense high. Amphetamines are stimulant drugs that increase alertness and wakefulness. As a Schedule II Substance, it has a high potential for abuse and addiction. Approved by the FDA in the early 2000s, Adderall is an amphetamine and dextroamphetamine combined.

However, assessments of amphetamines abuse were largely based on self-report. Nevertheless, studies have indicated that the self-report of drug-related problems is reliable, as long as participation is voluntary and results remain confidential [27]. There were few relevant studies of pharmacological treatments in combination with BCBT. Due to the limited number of studies, conducting a meta-analysis was not feasible. Furthermore, combining the outcomes from the individual trials through meta-analysis and using a random-effects model were not feasible because a certain degree of heterogeneity was expected among trials.