What are the facts about Stimulant drugs? What ore the dangers and what are addicts really risking?
What are stimulants?
As the name suggests, stimulants
increase alertness, attention, and energy, as well as elevate blood pressure
and increase heart rate and respiration. Stimulants historically were used to
treat asthma and other respiratory problems, obesity, neurological disorders,
and a variety of other ailments. But as their potential for abuse and Addiction
became apparent, the medical use of stimulants began to wane. Now, stimulants
are prescribed for the treatment of only a few health conditions, including
narcolepsy, ADHD, and depression that has not responded to other treatments.
How do stimulants affect the brain and
body?
Stimulants, such as dextroamphetamine
(Dexedrine and Adderall) and methylphenidate (Ritalin and Concerta), have
chemical structures similar to a family of key brain neurotransmitters called
monoamines, which include Norepinephrine and Dopamine. Stimulants enhance the
effects of these chemicals in the brain. Stimulants also increase blood
pressure and heart rate, constrict blood vessels, increase blood Glucose, and
open up the pathways of the respiratory system. The increase in dopamine is
associated with a sense of euphoria that can accompany the use of these drugs.
What are the possible consequences of stimulant use and abuse?
As with other drugs of abuse, it is
possible for individuals to become dependent upon or addicted to many
stimulants. Withdrawal symptoms associated with discontinuing stimulant use
include fatigue, depression, and disturbance of sleep patterns. Repeated use of
some stimulants over a short period can lead to feelings of hostility or
paranoia. Further, taking high doses of a stimulant may result in dangerously
high body temperature and an irregular heartbeat. There is also the potential
for cardiovascular failure or lethal seizures.
Is it safe
to use stimulants with other medications?
Stimulants
should be used in combination with other medications only under a physician's
supervision. Patients also should be aware of the dangers associated with
mixing stimulants and OTC cold medicines that contain decongestants; combining
these substances may cause blood pressure to become dangerously high or lead to
irregular heart rhythms.
Strong physiological, emotional and/or psychological dependence on a substance such as alcohol or drugs that has progressed beyond voluntary control. For more on addiction see the section Addiction Information in this website.
Dopamine
A brain chemical, classified as a neurotransmitter,found in regions of the brain that regulate movement, emotion, motivation, and pleasure.
Drug
Any substance, other than food, that changes the function or structure of the body or mind when ingested. Drugs essentially are poisons. The degree they are taken determines the effect. A small amount acts as a stimulant. A greater amount acts as a sedative. A larger amount acts as a poison and can kill one dead. This is true of any drug. Each has a different amount at which it gives those results.
Drug abuse
The use of illegal drugs or the inappropriate use of legal drugs. The repeated use of drugs to produce pleasure, to alleviate stress, or to alter or avoid reality - or all three.
Glucose
A simple sugar that the brain uses as its major source of energy.
Norepinephrine
A neurotransmitter and a hormone. It is released by the sympathetic nervous system onto the heart, blood vessels, and other organs and by the adrenal gland into the bloodstream as part of the fight-or-flight response. Norepinephrine is also present in the brain and is used as a neurotransmitter in normal brain processes.
Stimulant
A class of drugs that elevates mood, increases feelings of well-being, and increases energy and alertness. These drugs produce euphoria and are powerfully rewarding. Stimulants include cocaine, Methamphetamine, and methylphenidate (Ritalin).
Withdrawal
Symptoms that occur after chronic use of a drug is reduced or stopped.
