Conditions: Methamphetamine Dependence
Keywords: methamphetamine addiction relapse atomoxetine
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 20
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
The purpose of this study is to examine the ability of atomoxetine compared to placebo to increase time to relapse in methamphetamine dependent volunteers. Our hypothesis is that atomoxetine will increase time before (if) the participant relapses.

Detailed description:
During the study participants will spend the initial 2-weeks of the study at an inpatient facility. This will help participants initiate withdrawal. During the following 8-weeks the participant will come in for 3-4 visits each week. Three of these visits will be with the research assistants and one visit will be with a therapist in order to work with the participant using a cognitive behavioral therapy approach. Therapy visits are typically scheduled on a day that the participant is coming for clinic anyways so the number of visits per week is typically 3. During the 10-week period the investigators will collect various measures, including vitals, cognitive assessments, mood assessments, urine drug screens, weekly use reports of methamphetamine, and any reports of symptoms or side effects. This will tell the investigators if atomoxetine is safe and if a participant lapsed or relapsed.

Arms:
arm 1: Group receiving atomoxetine arm 2: Group will receive placebo instead of atomoxetine

Interventions: intervention 1: Atomoxetine intervention 2: placebo
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: During the first 2 weeks and three days the dose of atomoxetine will be titrated up starting with 20 mg/day for first 3 days, 36 mg/day for next 4 days, 50 mg/day for next 3 days, and finally 80 mg/day until the final day of the study (week 10, day 7) intervention 2: participants in this group will receive 1 dose of placebo daily for the entire 10-weeks.

Protocol document: