Chronic amphetamine use

[izzy31]

How big a shitboat is SWIM in for this? He does it everyday and is just coming to terms with his addiction and is trying to better the situation. Does SWIY use speed this often? He's not completely fried everyday or anything, he's not hearing voices, or having paranoid delusions but he is a little obssessive and it bothers him. What long term physiological & psychological damage is he looking at here if he doesn't quit?

[augentier]

From what SWIM understands, chronic use of speed (or probably any upper for that matter) really strains the heart..it is hard on the body when used so often.

[dogzz]

Yup, long term use puts a heavy toll on the heart and circulatory system. Swim knows of many chronic users that have enlarged hearts, some being so severe they require heart transplants and are on the waiting list, living in very poor health until they get one. High blood pressure and the list of other ailments caused by it are also common. Also, amphetamines chemically induce the pleasure and reward centers of the brain. Over time, the brain will not be able to react in its natural way. in essence you shorted out the whole reward and pleasure pathways by "jumpstarting" them over time. They can repair themselves over time, but as to what they were before swim doesn't know. That is the reason almost all recovering amphetamine addicts suffer depression. Severe depression. It takes a good year or more to allow the brain chemistry to settle down to normal ( whatever "normal" might turn out to be) hope that helped answer swiy's question

[somniferic]

Speed is, in SWIM's book anyway, the worst drug to binge on or maintain on, next to problematic drinking. SWIM took it everyday for years a while back, maybe 8 years ago now, and SWIM is still suffering various effects. Please take this seriously, SWIM knows drug users, polydrug users even who are in recovery, and those with ten to twenty tears of smack and crack use (even in combination) behind them find it easier to recover, physically and psychologically. Let SWIM pin it down for SWIY, heavy, sustained use of amphetamine will leave a person socially inept, scared, anxious, nervous, confused, paranoid (not just whilst using either!) and that's just the mental harm it does. SWIM is on beta-blockers for heart trouble, painkillers(NSSIAD's) after not using for a long time. Its anyone's choice, but if SWIM could turn back the hands....SWIM finds it hard to play a simple game of soccer with SWIM's daughter in the garden, exhausted, despite SWIM don't drink or smoke!

[SpaceCadetGlow]

Swim has been using amphetamine every day for years. Swim's amphetamine is not street amphetamine, but 40 mg Adderall. Adderall is composed of a mixture of amphetamine salts, but swim believes it to be on par with the potency of any non-pharmaceutical amphetamine. It was prescribed to swim for Attention Deficit Disorder, and after that first dose, with its incredible euphoria and other amazing effects, swim's life changed dramatically.
The buzz stopped after a few months, and since then swim has experimented with almost every other type of drug. The depression, severe social anxiety, and drug addiction got swim checked into a mental hospital on two occasions. Every day swim regrets taking adderall more and more.

If SWIizzy is only beginning to notice some obsessiveness, he would be wise to rethink his amphetamine usage before the real shit sets in.

Good luck and Peace.

[svenghali]

SWIM still has traces of chronic depression from his first rounds of amphet binges. He takes adderall/MPH on a regular basis now, and experiences little to no depression on a regular small dosage.

[Jiggles]

SWIsven- SWIM too still suffers from random bouts of depression stemming from past amphetamine usage, but his ADD is bad enough that even just working at his job is quite a task.

Originally Posted by svenghali

He takes adderall/MPH on a regular basis now, and experiences little to no depression on a regular small dosage.

How long has SWIY been taking said small doses, and how many mg? SWIM asks because just got his dexies refilled and is very nervous about getting into the addiction/depression territory again...