Delusions amphetamines

Long-term amphetamine abuse results in many damaging effects, not least of which is addiction. Chronic abusers exhibit symptoms that can include violent behavior, anxiety, confusion, and insomnia. They also can display a number of psychotic features, including paranoia, auditory hallucinations, mood disturbances, and delusions (for example, the sensation of insects creeping on the skin). The paranoia can result in homicidal as well as suicidal thoughts. 

Increased CNS depressant effects Increased effect of amphetamines Delusions, hostility Excessive anticholinergic effects Increased antiarrhythmic effect Decreased antihypertensive efficacy Acute organic brain syndrome... 

Chronic use of amphetamine or cocaine can give rise to visual, tactile, olfactory and auditory hallucinations (Miller, 1991 Sims, 1988). Formication is characteristic in which the user experiences the sensation of little animals or insects crawling over the body or just under the skin or sees his body covered in sores or vermin. These hallucinations may lead to delusions of infestation. 

The psychomotor stimulants, cocaine and D-amphetamine, are considered together because they share a similar psychopharmacological profile.19 20 Low to moderate doses of both drugs given acutely to nontolerant, nonanxious subjects produce increases in positive mood (euphoria), energy, and alertness. Experienced cocaine users were unable to distinguish between intravenous (IV) cocaine and D-amphetamine,21 and cross-tolerance between cocaine and D-amphetamine with respect to their anorectic effect has been demonstrated.22 Additionally, the toxic psychosis observed after days or weeks of continued use of both psychostimulants is very similar. The fully developed toxic syndrome, characterized by vivid auditory and visual hallucinations, paranoid delusions, and... 

Amphetamine psychosis causes feelings of severe paranoia and auditory and visual hallucinations. The amphetamine addict who is psychotic typically experiences delusions of persecution, believing someone, or everyone, is out to get them. Because of these paranoid delusions, violence can frequently occur during amphetamine psychosis. Once the amphetamine abuser is free of the drug, psychosis fades quickly. However, symptoms such as mental confusion, memory problems, and delusional thoughts may last up to several months or longer. 

Sympathomimetic syndromes include tachycardia, hypertension, hyperthermia, sweating, mydriasis, hyperreflexia, agitation, delusions, paranoia, seizures and cardiac arrhythmias. These are commonly caused by amphetamine and its derivatives, cocaine, proprietary decongestants, e.g. ephedrine, and theophylline (in the latter case, excluding psychiatric effects). 

Paranoid delusions and disorientation resembling the symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia, caused by prolonged use or overdose of cocaine and/or amphetamine. 

In addition to acute effects, however, prolonged usage of amphetamines (and other psychostimulants) can produce an "amphetamine psychosis." This syndrome was first clearly documented by Connell (25) and is regarded as very similar to paranoid schizophrenia, characterized by "paranoid psychosis with ideas of reference, delusions of persecution, auditory and visual hallucinations in a setting of clear consciousness" (25). The psychosis clears quickly after the drug is withdrawn. Psychosis has been induced experimentally in normal subjects by continuous amphetamine administration (26). Amphetamine psychosis has... 

Ephedrine psychosis closely resembles psychosis induced by amphetamines paranoia with delusions of persecution and auditory and visual hallucinations, even though consciousness remains unclouded. Typically, patients with ephedrine psychosis will have ingested more than 1000 mg/d. Recovery is rapid after the drug is withdrawn (Shufman et al., 1994). The ephedrine content per serving of most food supplements is on the order of 10-20 mg, making it extremely unlikely that, in recommended doses, use of any of the products would lead to neurologic symptoms. 

Mania, delusions, hallucinations, paranoia, aggressive behavior, schizophrenic relapse, depression, anxiety See Antidepressants, tricyclic See Benzodiazepines See Amphetamine-like drugs Nightmares, confusion, paranoia, depression, visual hallucinations Depression, suicidal thoughts Hallucinations, paranoia, panic, depression... 

Amphetamines methylphenidate cocaine Agitation, hypertension, tachycardia, delusions, hallucinations, hyperthermia, seizures, death Apathy, irritability, increased sleep time, disorientation, depression... 

Methamphetamine or l-phenyl-2-(methy-lamine)propane is another widely abused drug. It is also known as speed . At higher doses, this strong CNS stimulant produces delusions and bizarre visual and auditory hallucinations. Chronic use at high doses can produce schizophrenia-like conditions. The toxic and psychological effects are similar to those of other amphetamine drugs. Its pharmaceutical uses have been discontinued. 

Nutmeg in sufficient dosage is reported to have psychotropic properties (hallucinations, feelings of unreality, euphoria, delusions, etc.) these have been proposed to be due to myristicin or to its metabolic conversion to amphetamine-like compounds. However, the psychotropic effects of myristicin need further investigation, and the amphetaminelike metabolite(s) theory has recently been questioned. Other CNS activities reported... 

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