special subjects
Amphetamines
Symptoms and Signs of Amphetamine Use
Although no stereotypical withdrawal syndrome occurs when amphetamines are stopped, electroencephalogram changes occur, considered by some experts to fulfill the physical criteria for dependence. Chronic amphetamine users who abruptly stop using the drug may feel dysphoria, fatigue, anxiety, irritability, insomnia or hypersomnia, or unpleasant dreams. Withdrawal may uncover or exacerbate underlying depression or precipitate a serious depressive reaction. Withdrawal symptoms typically start within 24 hours of the last amphetamine use. Severe symptoms may subside within a week, but some less severe symptoms, such as sleep disturbance, may last for weeks to months.