Amphetamines Rehabilitation and Treatment

This guide was written to provide an overview of the amphetamine rehabilitation process as well as to offer helpful resources for persons recovering from amphetamine addiction.

Amphetamine rehabilitation is a multistep process that starts with a short orientation to the treatment facility. During this orientation session, the individual has an opportunity to look around the facility, meet staff members, and discuss their substance use with experienced treatment professionals. The individual may also meet with medical professionals to discuss any health concerns that could affect the rehabilitation process. For example, if the individual has heart disease, it’s important for treatment staff to know about it.

Once the initial assessment is complete, the individual typically goes through an initial detoxification process, which is when amphetamines are eliminated from the body. To make this process safer, treatment staff may offer supportive medications to treat nausea, abdominal pain, and other withdrawal symptoms. After going through the detoxification process, the individual receives therapy and other treatment services to reduce the risk of relapse.

Because amphetamines have a high addictive potential, they’re classified as Schedule II controlled substances. The misuse of amphetamines is so prevalent that global law-enforcement officials seized 112,000 pounds of amphetamine and 600 pounds of other stimulants in 2017, according to the 2019 World Drug Report.

It can be difficult to recover from amphetamine addiction because amphetamines affect the reward center of the brain, which can cause some users to become dependent. Once a dependency develops, withdrawing from amphetamines is difficult because of the severe withdrawal symptoms that sometimes occur. To avoid these symptoms, many users continue taking amphetamines even when they’re worried about their physical or psychological health.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) estimates in 2015:

• 1.7 million individuals aged 12 and older — 0.6% of this population — misused prescription stimulants like amphetamines.
• 1.65 million individuals aged 12 and older reported that they had misused prescription stimulants within the past month.
• 137,089 individuals aged 12 and older in need of treatment enrolled in a rehabilitation program for stimulant misuse.

The first step in the amphetamine recovery process is an initial detoxification period, which involves clearing amphetamines from the user’s body. Amphetamines have a half-life ranging from nine to 13 hours, which means about half of the substance will be cleared from the user’s body within this time frame. The initial detoxification phase typically takes two to three days, but it can take up to a week for some users.

Post-acute withdrawal symptoms are any physical or psychological symptoms that last for more than two weeks. Depending on how long the individual has been using amphetamines, as well as the individual’s health history, post-acute symptoms may last anywhere from two weeks up to a year. How long it takes to complete the withdrawal process depends on the individual’s history of substance use. For example, someone who has used amphetamines for five years is likely to experience withdrawal symptoms for a longer period of time than someone who has only been using amphetamines for six months.

No medications have been approved specifically for the treatment of amphetamine addiction; however, supportive medications may be used to relieve withdrawal symptoms and make the withdrawal process more tolerable for users. One study showed that mirtazapine, an antidepressant, may be effective for treating some of the psychological symptoms of amphetamine withdrawal. Antipsychotics and benzodiazepines may also be used to reduce anxiety and treat other psychological symptoms. Users who experience headaches may benefit from aspirin or acetaminophen.

For more information about withdrawal, read our guide on amphetamine addiction.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration has not approved any medications for the treatment of amphetamine addiction, but a drug called modafinil has shown some promise. Modafinil is known as a “waking drug” because it’s usually given to people with narcolepsy to increase their energy levels and make them more alert. In people struggling with amphetamine addiction, modafinil can control withdrawal symptoms and help the user remain comfortable during the initial withdrawal process.

For many users, behavioral therapies are the most effective treatment for amphetamine addiction, as they address the underlying psychological issues that contribute to addictive behavior.

Within either an inpatient or outpatient setting, treatments such as detoxification services, behavioral therapies, and medication-assisted treatments are offered for varying lengths of time.

Inpatient treatment involves living full time (including overnight) at a treatment facility for a set period of time. Outpatient treatment involves scheduled appointments at a facility in which you are free to come and go. Within each category, there are several distinctions.

Behavioral therapy for substance addiction seeks to identify and manage addictive behaviors that lead to use and prevent relapse. Behavioral therapy is based on the concept that all behavior is learned, and thus, unhealthy behavior can be changed through learning coping skills and increasing awareness of negative thoughts and beliefs that contribute to substance abuse.

Amphetamine addiction treatment is available on an inpatient and outpatient basis, although chronic users may benefit more from the structured environment of an inpatient treatment center.

When searching for an amphetamine rehabilitation facility, it’s important to look for a program that offers cognitive-behavioral therapy or the Matrix Model, as these behavioral therapies have been proven effective in helping individuals with amphetamine addiction learn how to develop better habits.

No medications have been approved specifically for the treatment of amphetamine addiction, but facilities offering medically managed rehabilitation may be able to provide supportive medications, reducing the discomfort of the initial detoxification process and making it more likely that an individual will complete the rehabilitation program.

Our directory of rehab programs includes a comprehensive list of available treatment centers and programs as provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). In the directory, you will find tools to filter the programs by setting, price, and location.