Amphetamine Users in Treatment: Factors Associated with Sustained Abstinence from Street Drugs

Abstract

Data for this paper are the product of research commissioned by the UK Department of Health Task Force to Review Services for Drug Users to reveal the impediments to effective service delivery to amphetamine users. In a longitudinal study amphetamine users presenting for treatment at agencies in the NorthWest of England were subjected to consecutive semi-structured interviews for a period of between six and nine months. Nearly half of the clients stopped using street amphetamine and were still abstinent at the end of the project. Pre-treatment factors associated with successful abstinence were, being female, suicidal ideation, and loss of friends through drugs. Post-treatment factors were, professional help (drug workers, prescribing physicians), contact with father, and an improved lifestyle. Motivation to abstain was driven initially by psychological health problems and severe social dysfunction and was subsequently maintained through professional support and/or informal support from partners, parents and friends during treatment.

Key Words:

• amphetamine
• Relapse
• treatment