Therapy can help whether your goal is to cut down, to stop, or to understand why you use. We will discuss how to manage your safety while you decide what you want.
What this covers
Amphetamine, often called speed, is a Class B drug, and Class A if prepared for injection. Speed is addictive. Regular use builds tolerance, so people need larger amounts to get the same effect, and some use to avoid the unpleasant comedown.
Signs use may be becoming a problem
- Using more often, or in larger amounts, than you meant to
- Needing more to get the same effect
- Using to keep going, or to get through the comedown
- Several days of low mood, exhaustion or sadness after using
- Craving it, or thinking about it a lot of the time
Risks and safety: read this
- Speed puts a strain on the heart. It is not advisable if you have high blood pressure or a heart condition, and people have died from taking too much.
- It can contribute to anxiety, depression, irritability, aggression and paranoia, and acute psychotic episodes with hallucinations and delusions have occurred.
- Regular use may affect learning and concentration.
- Mixing it with other drugs or alcohol is always risky, and some combinations are more dangerous than others.
- If you are low after using, or having thoughts of ending your life, call Samaritans on 116 123 (free, 24 hours).
- Call 999 if someone has chest pain, a fit, or is seriously unwell after using, and tell the crew what you think they have taken.
Support you can get alongside therapy
Therapy sits alongside medical care, not instead of it. How to get treatment without going through your GP, and where to find helplines.
What therapy can offer
- Working out what speed does for you (energy, focus, escape) and what else could do some of that work
- Practical strategies for urges and comedowns
- Support for the low mood and anxiety that can follow
Confidentiality
Worried about your job or your driving licence? What I report, and what stays between us.
If it is someone you love
Living with someone’s amphetamine use can mean broken sleep, money worries and mood swings you cannot predict. Support for families and loved ones.
Short answers to common questions
Should I see a doctor before I change how much I use?
If you have heart problems or high blood pressure, speak to your GP or a drug treatment service about the risks.
Why do I feel so low after using?
Low mood, exhaustion and sadness can last several days after use. It is one of the things we can look at together.
How long do the effects of speed last?
FRANK says the buzz typically lasts 3 to 6 hours. It starts within a few minutes when snorted and within 20 minutes to an hour when swallowed. The comedown can last several days, and people often feel lethargic, sad or low in mood during that time. Some regular users keep taking it to avoid the comedown.
Is speed bad for your heart?
It puts the heart under strain. FRANK says speed is not advisable if you have high blood pressure or a heart condition, and that people have died from taking too much. Combining stimulants puts the heart under further stress. If you have heart problems, speak to your GP or a local drug service.
Can speed cause psychosis?
It can happen. FRANK says speed can contribute to anxiety, depression, irritability, aggression, paranoia and mental illness, and that acute psychotic episodes, with seeing or hearing things that are not there and delusions, have occurred. If this has happened to you, speak to your GP, and call 999 in an emergency.
Does speed affect your sleep?
Yes. FRANK says that, depending on how much is taken, speed can make it difficult to relax or sleep. It also says the comedown can leave people lethargic and low for several days. Poor sleep and low mood can then make it harder to cut down, which is something we can plan for together.
What are the penalties for having speed?
FRANK says speed is a Class B drug, so it is illegal to possess, give away or sell. Possession can carry up to 5 years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both; supplying can carry up to 14 years, an unlimited fine, or both. Speed prepared for injection is Class A, which carries tougher sentences.
Can I drive after taking speed?
No. FRANK says driving when high is dangerous and illegal, with possible penalties of a heavy fine, a driving ban or prison. GOV.UK says it is an offence to drive if you are unfit because of drugs, or have certain levels of certain drugs in your blood, with a minimum one-year ban and up to six months in prison on conviction.