Amphetamine psychosis 608718 224919395 2008-07-11T00:22:54Z Affiray 1475822 Made citations better '''Amphetamine psychosis''' is a form of [[psychosis]] which can result from [[amphetamine]] or [[methamphetamine]] use. Typically it appears after large doses or chronic use, although in rare cases some people may become psychotic after relatively small doses (Including Amphetamine based ADD/ADHD drugs such as Adderall). Other chemicals or drugs which similarly increase [[dopamine]] function (such as [[cocaine]] and [[Levodopa|L-DOPA]]) can produce similar psychotic states. Because of this, the term '''stimulant psychosis''' is sometimes preferred. ==Overview== Amphetamine psychosis can include [[delusion]]s, [[hallucination]]s and [[thought disorder]]. This is thought to be largely due to the increase in dopamine and perhaps [[serotonin]] activity in the [[mesolimbic pathway]] of the [[brain]] caused by amphetamine-like drugs, although other factors such as chronic [[sleep deprivation]] may also play a part. The link between amphetamine and psychosis is one of the major sources of evidence for the [[dopamine hypothesis of psychosis]]. The link between amphetamine and psychosis was first made by Young and Scoville in 1938<ref name="Young">Young, D. & Scoville, W.B. (1938) Paranoid psychosis in narcolepsy and the possible danger of benzedrine treatment. ''The Medical clinics of North America'', 22, 637-46.</ref> and was originally considered to be a rare condition. As amphetamine use increased after [[World War II]], largely due to the widespread use of amphetamine compounds in nasal decongestant and dieting preparations, it became clear that chronic amphetamine use often led to psychotic symptoms. Hallucinations are frequently reported in chronic amphetamine users, with over 80% of users reporting the presence of hallucinatory experiences<ref name="Kalant">Kalant, O.J. (1966) ''The amphetamines: Toxicity and addiction'' Springfield, Ill: Charles C Thomas Publishers.</ref>, typically as [[visual system|visual]] or [[sound|auditory]] experiences. Delusions, paranoia, fears about persecution, hyperactivity and panic are also reported as the most common features<ref name="Ellinwood">Ellinwood, E.H, (1967) Amphetamine Psychosis. I. Description of the individuals and processes. ''Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease'', 144, 273-283.</ref>. Concurrent to having delusions and hallucinations, chronic amphetamine users may also display stereotyped, repetitive and seemingly purposeless movements, known as 'motor stereotypies' or more commonly as 'knick knacking', '[[tweaking (behavior)|tweaking]]' or being 'hung-up'. These may include examining, sorting, disassembling, and cleaning. The article on [[punding]] gives a more complete description of this behavior. This behavior may be similar to the symptoms of [[Obsessive Compulsive Disorder | OCD]]. One particular manifestation of psychosis associated with amphetamine use is [[delusional parasitosis]] or ''[[Ekbom's syndrome]]'', where a person falsely believes themselves to be infested with parasites. However, related behaviour may occur in non-psychotic conditions, where users will realise they are not infested by parasites but will pick at their skin anyway. This more closely resembles [[obsessive-compulsive disorder]]. ==Amphetamine psychosis in popular culture== There is a chapter in [[Hunter S. Thompson]]'s [[Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas]] entitled 'Aaawww, Mama, Can This Really Be the End?... Down and Out in Vegas, with Amphetamine Psychosis Again?', a reference to [[Bob Dylan]]'s ''[[Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again]]''. In the film ''[[Requiem for a Dream]]'', the character Sara Goldfarb suffers amphetamine psychosis after having been prescribed amphetamines as a weight loss drug; she imagines that her refrigerator is trying to devour her. The [[meth song]] is a drug awareness [[public service announcement]] that has become part of [[popular culture]]. The film ''[[A Scanner Darkly (film)|A Scanner Darkly]]'' (as well as the [[A Scanner Darkly|novel of the same name]]) contains a scene where the character Charles Freck suffers from [[formication]]. The anti-drug advertising of the [[Montana Meth Project]] often focuses on the dangers of amphetamine psychosis. In episode four of the television series [[Breaking Bad]] the character Jesse Pinkman apparently suffers from a brief episode of Amphetamine psychosis. ==See also== * [[Amphetamine]] * [[Delusional parasitosis]] * [[Dopamine hypothesis of psychosis]] * [[Psychosis]] ==External links== *[http://www.acnp.org/g4/GN401000166/Default.htm Chronic amphetamine use and abuse] - Review published in 2000. ==Further reading== * Connell, P.H. (1961) ''Amphetamine Psychosis''. Oxford University Press. ==References== <references /> [[Category:Amphetamines]] [[Category:Psychosis]] [[pl:Psychoza amfetaminowa]] [[sk:Amfetamínová psychóza]]