Ritalin, a stimulant with chemical properties similar to amphetamines, also produces many of the effects listed below. Amphetamines are nicknamed Crank, Ice, Speed, Crosstops, Uppers, Pep Pills, Cat, Black Beauties, Whites, Bennies, Dexies, Crystal Meth, Christmas Trees, Glass and Snot. Amphetamines disrupt the central nervous, cardiovascular, respiratory and gastrointestinal systems. Users experience loss of appetite, increased breathing and heart rate, raised blood pressure, dilated pupils, increased energy, a heightened sense of well-being and sleep disturbances. At higher doses, amphetamines cause diarrhea, fever, sweating, headache, blurred vision and heart palpitations.
Most users become talkative, restless and excited.
Some feel a sense of superiority, accompanied by hostility and aggression, while others find themselves paranoid and confused, suffering from visual and auditory hallucinations. Overdose can result in high fever, convulsions, coma, cerebral hemorrhage and death. The regular use of amphetamines produces severe tension, agitation, vitamin deficiency, malnutrition, sleeplessness, high blood pressure and increased susceptibility to disease. Long-term amphetamine abusers might also develop amphetamine psychosis, a toxic syndrome that closely resembles paranoid schizophrenia. Symptoms of this condition include hallucinations, paranoid delusions and compulsive, bizarre behavior.