Amphetamine psychosis, often suffered by long-term users, has symptoms nearly identical to schizophrenia, including paranoia and hallucinations. It can be difficult to diagnose and is caused by dopamine function in the brain, which is activated by stimulant drugs. Recovery is possible with treatment. Other stimulants can also cause similar problems.
Amphetamine psychosis is a condition often suffered by long-term amphetamine users. In terms of appearance, experts say the symptoms are nearly identical to those seen in someone with schizophrenia. Individuals with amphetamine psychosis often become extremely paranoid about the possible nefarious motives of those around them. They can also lose touch with reality, eventually suffering from hallucinations and false perceptions of events.
This disorder generally does not occur from a single amphetamine use, although there are some unexplained exceptions. Generally, people have to use the drugs for months or years, and even then they may not always develop psychosis. Furthermore, it is not usually a disorder that develops suddenly. People will tend to develop problems gradually as their drug habit worsens.
Sometimes, this condition can be difficult for doctors to recognize. It looks so much like schizophrenia that it is relatively common for it to be misdiagnosed as such. There are even cases where this condition and schizophrenia are present in the same individual, and this is actually considered a relatively common occurrence. Experts think this similarity may be due to the fact that amphetamine psychosis and schizophrenia work on the same general mechanism.
Many medical experts believe that schizophrenia is related to the brain chemical dopamine. Studies show that dopamine function in the brain is also directly activated by stimulant drugs such as amphetamines. This fact has led some experts to believe that people suffering from the condition are basically dealing with an artificially stimulated version of schizophrenia, which would generally mean that the two disorders are functionally identical.
A major difference between amphetamine psychosis and schizophrenia is the treatment process. For people dealing with amphetamine-induced psychotic symptoms, it is usually possible to completely eliminate the symptoms, whereas schizophrenia is a lifelong problem. Recovery from this type of psychosis may not always occur immediately after someone has kicked the drug habit, but it usually happens over time. While the person is recovering, they may need more help, including possible therapy or antipsychotic drugs. Occasionally, more severe cases may require institutionalization or a stay in some type of rehabilitation facility.
Amphetamines are not the only drugs known to cause the same psychotic disorder. Cocaine and most other heavy stimulants are also known to cause similar problems. There are many other health problems associated with stimulant drugs as well, including strain on the heart.
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