Speed addiction

Speed is the street name for amphetamine, a synthetic stimulant drug made in a laboratory often cut with bulking agents such as caffeine and sold as a recreational drug. Regular use can quickly develop into a speed addiction. If you have wondered what speed is or what kind of drug it falls under, it belongs to a group of powerful stimulants called amphetamines that speed up activity in your brain and body; some of these amphetamines are also used in prescription medicines.

How amphetamines drain your body

As a stimulant drug, speed and amphetamines give you a short burst of energy and alertness, after which the effect fades and your body is left needing rest. That energy is not free: rather than creating anything new, speed forces your body to draw on its own reserves. Once those are spent, exhaustion, low mood and depletion are what remain. People often ask what the drug speed actually does: it pushes your system far beyond its natural pace, and that is exactly what makes regular use so risky.

Mental health and drugs like speed

Using speed over a longer period can lead to a speed addiction, which means you have become dependent on this hard drug. Beyond the physical damage, dependence often takes a serious toll on your mental health. Anxiety, low mood and depression frequently go hand in hand with long-term use. At our clinic we treat both the addiction and the underlying mental health problems that so often drive it, helping you quit in a medically responsible and personalised way. Wondering whether your speed use has already become an addiction? Call our team on 040-303 5023 to talk it through, without any obligation.

With a speed addiction, wanting to use has turned into needing to use. When you don't, you develop all kinds of unpleasant symptoms that leave you feeling ill, the so-called withdrawal symptoms. Your body literally has to get used to no longer receiving speed. But because you are addicted, you go looking for it. As soon as you take the drug again, you feel good once more. This is how you end up in a vicious circle that can become harder and harder to break.

You can recognise a speed addiction by signs such as these:

• you carry on using despite the problems it causes
• you can't manage to stop, or you start again after a while
• when people bring up your use, you get angry or laugh it off
• you think about speed all day long, or about money to buy the drug
• you get withdrawal symptoms when you stop
• you use more, or more often, than you intended
• you experience cravings, when you are suddenly hit by an overwhelming urge to use speed
• your everyday life suffers because of your use
• you need more and more to get the same effect
• you use in situations that are physically dangerous

Speed is a chemical and highly addictive substance produced in a laboratory. It stimulates your brain and muscles, giving an energy boost. Speed abuse rapidly leads to tolerance development, which means you require increasing amounts to achieve the same effect. This greatly raises the risk of addiction, especially when combined with other substances like cannabis. If you are addicted to speed, you find it difficult to function properly. Symptoms may include an irregular heartbeat and palpitations, extreme fatigue, other physical problems and feelings of depression. If you find yourself in this situation, our team is here for you! Ring us on 040-303 5023 or leave your details in the contact form below.

As a powerful amphetamine, speed carries a high risk of dependence. If you become addicted to amphetamines may notice the drug slowly taking over your daily life, and quitting amphetamines without medical help can be genuinely hard. At our rehab centre you can stop using amphetamine safely, with a withdrawal process that is monitored from the first day onwards.

A speed addiction or amphetamine addiction can bring about severe psychological, physical and social consequences. From experience, we know that there is a fair chance that the root cause of addiction is related to underlying issues. For example, you might turn to speed to escape and ease the challenges you are dealing with in life, which can create a cycle that can be too formidable to break on your own. Connection SGGZ can help you move toward a life that is free of addiction.

Speed effects:

• increased energy, alertness and a sense of being wide awake
• very talkative
• loss of appetite
• inability or unwillingness to sleep
• clenched jaws and dry mouth
• dilated pupils
• increased body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure
• faster breathing
• increased sex drive
• restlessness, which can escalate into anxiety or aggression
• fatigue and a low mood the day after use

Symptoms of speed addiction:

• only speed gives you energy and a sense of well-being
• requiring increasing amounts of speed for the same effect
• inability to sleep at night, sometimes for nights on end
• neglecting relationships with friends and family, work, and school
• failing to keep commitments
• being convinced that you cannot function without speed
• use has become an obsession
• using speed during most of your activities
• using speed more frequently than you would like to
• struggling to quit, despite the negative impact on your life
• experiencing withdrawal symptoms if you stop using

Risks of speed addiction:

• increased body temperature, leading to overheating and dehydration
• huge strain on the heart and cardiovascular system, which might result in arrhythmias, heart attacks or strokes
• severe weight loss
• increased risk of depression and psychosis
• difficulty concentrating
• serious and permanent damage to your nose
• distorted vision, dizziness
• fatigue and complete exhaustion
• muscle twitches

Our team of professionals and peer recovery mentors provides you with the professional care you need if you want to overcome your speed addiction. We offer a treatment tailored entirely to your situation in our rehabilitation centres in South Africa and Meerlo (the Netherlands). With our personalised approach, you can regain quality of life after the treatment.

We understand how lonely dealing with addiction can feel. You may experience shame and reaching out for help might seem impossible. That first step – asking for help – is something only you can do. From that moment on, however, we are in it together. So don't hesitate: share your story. Schedule an addiction assessment, or call us on 040-303 5023, and choose a sustainable recovery from speed addiction.