(866) 242-3814What are Black Beauties?
Medically Verified: 2/1/24
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All of the information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional.
Black beauty pills have been discussed for years, with many remaining unsure of what they actually are. This drug is not well-known today, however, it has been rumored to have powerful effects. Most people who have claimed to abuse black beauties are in the military or truck-driving business.
Throughout the years, people have given black beauty pills many different definitions. However, everyone reaches the same conclusion: these drugs are powerful stimulants that are extremely addictive.
If you or a loved one have been abusing the black beauty drug, it’s important to be informed on what this substance is, the dangers associated with it, and how a drug rehab center can help.
What is the Black Beauty Pill?
Originally, “black beauties” was a slang term for a prescription drug called Biphetamine. Biphetamine was popular in the 1960s and 1970s and primarily used as diet pills. Black Beauties were a combination of dextroamphetamine and amphetamine, making them similar to current attention-deficit hyperactivity (ADHD) medication called Adderall.
Biphetamine was discontinued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) because it was found to be highly addictive.
Today, the street name “black beauties” tends to refer to any kind of amphetamine drug. Similar slang terms include bennies, crank, ice, speed, and uppers.
Substances that might be referred to as black beauties include:[1]
- Adderall (amphetamine and dextroamphetamine)
- Dexedrine (dextroamphetamine)
- Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine)
- Desoxyn (methamphetamine)
While methamphetamine is widely considered to be an illicit drug, it is available in prescription form. Typically, the illicit form of meth is referred to as ice, crank, speed, crystal, or tina. However, the prescription version of methamphetamine (Desoxyn) might be called black beauty.
The Side Effects of Black Beauties
Amphetamines of any kind are Schedule II drugs, which means that while they have medicinal uses, they are highly addictive. With that being said, one of the main side effects you should be aware of when abusing black beauties is addiction.
People commonly abuse amphetamine drugs to stay awake longer, focus better, and experience an energetic but euphoric high. While these substances can keep you awake and focused for long periods, they are extremely dangerous to abuse.
The side effects of black beauty or amphetamine abuse include:[2]
- Increased blood pressure and heart rate
- Insomnia
- High levels of energy
- Uncharacteristic talkativeness
- Increased self-esteem
- Loss of appetite and extreme weight loss
- Malnutrition
- Chest pain
- Anxiety and paranoia
- Sleep deprivation from being awake for several days
- Amphetamine-induced psychosis
- Violent or erratic behavior
If you are abusing black beauties or amphetamine, it’s important to be aware of the risks of overdosing. Oftentimes, people who abuse stimulant drugs tend to binge on them, meaning they take large doses consistently in an attempt to prevent their high from dissipating.
When you binge on amphetamines, your risk of overdosing increases substantially. An amphetamine overdose can be life-threatening if you do not receive immediate medical attention.
Dangers of Amphetamine Abuse
While there are immediate risks associated with abusing black beauties, the long-term dangers are also important to be aware of. Abusing any substance long-term can result in a variety of adverse effects, however, amphetamines are especially dangerous.
The long-term dangers of amphetamine and stimulant drug abuse include:
Dependence and Addiction
The most discussed long-term effect of amphetamine abuse is addiction. When you take a black beauty pill, it causes your brain to release adrenaline and dopamine. Dopamine is the chemical responsible for pleasure and reward, which makes your brain associate the substance with feelings of happiness.
Because amphetamines affect your brain, you will begin to crave the drug when you are not taking it. After some time, you will build a tolerance and have to abuse larger dosages of amphetamines to experience the desired effect.
Once you have a tolerance to a substance, you will become dependent on it, and if you suddenly stop taking black beauties or amphetamines, you will experience symptoms of withdrawal.
Psychosis
Because of the way that amphetamine drugs affect your central nervous system, you can develop amphetamine-induced psychosis when abusing them long-term. Amphetamine-induced psychosis causes symptoms of hallucinations, delusions, grandiosity, and extreme agitation.[3]
In addition, you can experience symptoms of psychosis due to staying awake for long periods. Amphetamines make it extremely difficult to fall asleep. When you binge on them, you may stay awake for several days at a time, causing sleep deprivation, hallucinations, and delusions.
Malnutrition
Amphetamines like black beauties suppress your appetite. In fact, black beauty pills used to be prescribed as a weight loss drug in the 1970s. If you have been abusing amphetamines long-term, this could result in malnutrition.
Malnutrition is extremely dangerous, as it can negatively impact every function of your body. The main dangers of malnutrition include:[4]
- A decline in muscle function
- Decreased cardiac-respiratory function
- Gastrointestinal issues
- Lowered immunity and inability to heal wounds
- Increased mental health issues
Overdose
Because people who abuse black beauties often binge on them, the risk of experiencing an overdose is significant. Amphetamine overdoses can be life-threatening and require immediate medical attention.
The symptoms of an amphetamine overdose include:[5]
- Aggressive behavior
- Confusion
- Dark colored urine
- Dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness
- Fainting
- Fast breathing
- Fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat
- Loss of consciousness
- Muscle cramps, spasms, pain, or stiffness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Restlessness
- Seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there
- Seizures
- Stomach cramps
- Sweating
- Tremor
- Unusual tiredness or weakness
Find Help for Amphetamine Abuse and Addiction
If you or a loved one suffer from an addiction to amphetamines, Charlotte Detox Center is here to help. Black beauty addiction can cause severe symptoms of withdrawal, making it important that you seek professional care. At our drug and alcohol detox center, we can provide you with everything you need to overcome withdrawal safely and comfortably.
To learn more about our amphetamine detox program, contact Charlotte Detox Center today.
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