Author: Gary Jackson

Stimulants Alcohol and Drug Foundation

Legal drugs, such as caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and prescription medications, tend to be safe with responsible use. While not all psychoactive substances are illegal, a person can misuse any of these substances. Nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine are all types of psychoactive substances that people frequently consume. Unlike the amphetamines and methylphenidate, which are synthetically manufactured, these compounds occur naturally in various plants and have been used by humans for many centuries. The strongest is caffeine, which is the active ingredient of coffee, tea, cola beverages, and maté.

Some people might also have altered senses, for example, seeing brighter colors. MDMA, also called molly or ecstasy, can have both stimulant and hallucinogen effects. Some people who use it feel increased empathy and emotional closeness, an elevated mood, and increased energy. In the days after using certain stimulants, you may experience some unpleasant effects. In veterinary medicine, it is used to control urinary incontinence in dogs under trade names Propalin and Proin. Short-term effects include nausea, increased blood pressure, tremors, and irregular heartbeat.

Overdose

In Australia, New Zealand, and the US, it is considered an analog of other illegal drugs and can be controlled by laws similar to the Federal Analog Act. In September 2011, the USA temporarily classified mephedrone as illegal, in effect from October 2011. If methamphetamine overdose is suspected, seek immediate medical attention. Stopping nicotine use can lead to withdrawal, and withdrawal symptoms can hit quickly—within two to three hours from the last use. Symptoms of nicotine withdrawal include irritability, anxiety, depression, headaches, trouble sleeping, and gastrointestinal issues. A person who takes a drug containing fentanyl is more likely to overdose if their body does not have sufficient tolerance for strong opioids.

Commonly used stimulants

If you experience severe negative effects due to prescription stimulant misuse, such as heart attack or seizure, seek immediate medical attention. Certain effects can also be experienced if prescription stimulants are not taken as prescribed. In addition to a risk of overdose, prescription stimulant misuse can lead to paranoia, psychosis, anger, or problems with the heart, nerves, or stomach—potentially leading to a heart attack or seizure.

Evidence-Based Treatments for Stimulant Use Disorders

Take in too much of this stimulant and it can lead to high body temps (hyperthermia), convulsions, and, if not treated immediately, death. Stimulants are a class of psychoactive drugs that increase activity in the brain, impacting alertness and mood. In psychology, stimulants are generally defined as substances that excite functional activity in the central nervous system. This can make quitting nicotine even harder because other drugs are involved.

  1. Read on for a broad overview of stimulants, including various types and effects, their addictive potential, and treatment options for stimulant misuse.
  2. If your use of stimulants is affecting your health, family, relationships, work, school, financial or other life situations, or you’re concerned about a loved one, you can find help and support.
  3. This can make quitting nicotine even harder because other drugs are involved.
  4. If methamphetamine overdose is suspected, seek immediate medical attention.

Risks of taking psychoactive drugs

However, these drugs form part of a larger category of psychoactive substances, several of which are legal. Read on for a broad overview of stimulants, including various types and effects, their addictive potential, and treatment options for stimulant misuse. Polydrug use is a term for the use of more than one drug or type of drug at the same time or one after another.

Stimulant Overdose

Caffeine constricts blood vessels of the brain; for this reason it is often a component of headache remedies. Theophylline is used in the treatment of severe asthma because of its capacity for relaxing the bronchioles in the lungs. Certain drugs related to the amphetamines have the same mode of action but are somewhat milder stimulants.

However, consuming too much of this stimulant can cause increased feelings of anxiety, dizziness, fast heart rate, and insomnia. Whether a person uses psychoactive substances as medication, recreational drugs, or as part of their daily routine, there are risks to using them. FDA has developed resources on purchasing prescription medications online through BeSafeRx to help ensure access to medications from a safe source. Additionally, FDA is proactively working to address controlled substances illegally sold online. To reduce the risks presented by excess prescription medication, FDA has developed resources on safe drug disposal. People sometimes use these as recreational drugs, as they can give a person a “rush” of euphoria and increase energy and alertness.

Cannabis, also called weed, is a type of psychoactive drug that can have the effects of a depressant, stimulant, or hallucinogen. Heroin is an illegal drug that binds to opioid receptors in the brain, causing a “rush” of pleasurable sensations. Methylphenidate acts as a norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor (NDRI), by blocking the norepinephrine transporter (NET) and the dopamine transporter (DAT). Mephedrone was first synthesized in 1929, but did not become widely known until it was rediscovered in 2003. Mephedrone was first made illegal in Israel in 2008, followed by Sweden later that year. In 2010, it was made illegal in many European countries, and, in December 2010, the EU ruled it illegal.

Formal diagnosis of a stimulant use disorder can only be made by a healthcare professional.10 However, it’s helpful to understand the criteria used for diagnosis. Other versions include the long lasting tablet Concerta and the long lasting transdermal patch Daytrana. Some scientists are trying to develop a cocaine vaccine to help combat dependence on this drug, but no such vaccine exists as of this time. If you’re trying to quit smoking, vaping, or using other forms of tobacco, nicotine replacement therapy may help you overcome your addiction to this drug. This therapy often involves tapering nicotine use over time, then eventually quitting this drug. Nicotine is a primary ingredient in not just cigarettes but also e-cigarettes, and vaping is highly addictive.