X-Heroin addict now concerned about amphetamine addiction & withdrawals

[miffy]

Hi all. . .

I've not posted on here for a couple of years, so apologies if I've put this in the wrong place, I think the forum's changed a bit.

The reason I've not posted for a while is because I've been completely okay with swim's consumption. He had a heroin habit for a good few years, finally sorted it out around the time I stopped posting, and since then hasn't used smack, although he's been indulging (sometimes quite a lot) in everything else.

I'm a little concerned now, though, because SWIM appears to be getting a bit of a speed habit. Classy, innit?

Let me point out here that when I say 'speed', I mean amphetamine, aka 'base', the sticky stuff, not meth.

Anyway, SWIM met a girl a few weeks ago, and started hanging out with her. Turns out she's hitting about a gram a day of the stuff, and SWIM, always up for anything dodgy, was in there like a rat up a drainpipe. Turns out, "Got any needles" is a particularly effective chat-up line with SWIM. . .

So, SWIM's been doing the stuff every day for about 3 or 4 weeks now (and pretty much all night, too, speed being speed). Probably getting through about £XXX daily, injecting, spreading that over maybe 3 hits. Although he did spend the weekend hitting lots of charlie, and I know that's not dissimilar, pharmacologically.

He's not had a hit for about 18 hours now, and is just realising that he seems to be getting a bit of a habit. Hence the 'Oops'.

He's not curled in a small ball, crying and shitting himself (as he spent so many happy times when trying to come off smack), but he's definitely not feeling comfortable. He's probably only been sleeping 2 hours out of 24 for some time, is getting sweaty, achy, dry skin. Physically uncomfortable but not really in any pain. But there's a definite mental craving going on, and SWIM's not got much of a self-control gene. Basically, SWIM thinks he needs to stop this now, before he can't. It took him 2 years to get off smack, and he doesn't want another habit.

I guess I'd like to know what to expect? What's it like trying to come off speed? What's withdrawal like, and how long does it last? Are there any drugs that make a decent substitute for quitting (Used methodone, then subutex with the smack, though quit cold in the end). There seems to be lots of info out there about meth, but not so much about base. Any information or experiences would be appreciated. SWIM's going to go and have a hit, and he's going to try and make it his last one. . .