Short and Long-Term Side Effects of Stimulant Addiction
What Drugs Are Stimulants?
Drug substances that speed up the body’s system and increase energy or alertness fall into the stimulant category of drugs. As the name suggests, these products are stimulating and are considered the appeal to use.
Stimulant prescription medications like Adderall and Ritalin used to treat ADHD are called amphetamines, which rhyme with methamphetamine for a reason. They are similar chemically to the street drug meth, and the fact that it is supposedly regulated doesn’t make it any less addicting.
Cocaine is another street drug that falls into the stimulant category. The combination of energy and euphoria has caused the DEA and the National Institute on Drug Abuse to rank it as the most addictive substance out of all the types of stimulants.
It is common for users to combine stimulants with other drugs or alcohol, thereby significantly increasing the risk to their health.
Short-Term Effects of Stimulant Addiction
Stimulants share similar physical and mental health effects across all types, especially concerning the “comedown” or crash from a stimulant high.
Initial Use:
- Increased alertness and energy
- Increased wakefulness
- Reduced appetite
- Lack of sleep
- Increases blood pressure and heart rate
- Constriction of blood vessels and decreased blood flow
- Increase body temperature
- Irregular heartbeat
- Rapid breathing
- Dry mouth and dehydration
- Dilated pupils
- Difficulty concentrating
- Paranoia
During Crash:
- Irritability
- Erratic behavior
- Insomnia
- Fatigue
- Anxiety
- Intense hunger
- Depression
The cycle of taking more stimulants to combat the symptoms experienced during a comedown is what creates psychological dependence and leads to stimulant addiction.
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Long-Term Effects of Stimulants
Forcing your body into a constant sped-up state can impact your nervous systems and have detrimental physical and mental long-term effects on stimulants if an attempt to discontinue use is not made.
Mental
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Emotional dysregulation
- Suicidal thoughts
- Fatigue
- Aggressive behavior and irritability
- Lowered impulse control
- Paranoia
- Apathy
Physical
- Increased risk of cardiovascular injury and heart disease due to consistently raised levels of heart rate and blood pressure
- Extreme weight loss
- Muscle deterioration
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Vitamin deficiencies
- Loss of fine motor skills
- Dopamine depletion- causes chemical Depression and Anxiety that will require medication to resolve.
- Memory Loss
Stimulant Addiction Signs and Symptoms
Due to the intense physical, behavioral, and mental effects of stimulant use, there are outward signs and symptoms of stimulant addiction that can be detected by those close to stimulant users:
Erratic Behavior
Mood swings or being quick to anger are common. It is also inconsistent with obligations, and sudden lifestyle changes all point to being consumed by dependence on stimulant substances.
Increased alertness, attention, and energy
Out of character energy or at odd times of the day. The inability to sit still, hyper-focusing on a task, and being hypervigilant to noises and movement.
Changes in eating habits
This can look like periods of skipping meals, avoiding mealtimes, and having no interest in food, followed by binge eating. Despite the infrequent binge eats, stimulant use is often accompanied by noticeable weight loss.
Changes in sleep
Staying out all night for days, followed by long periods of sleep. Someone addicted to stimulants is unlikely to be able to maintain typical sleep patterns.
Money Problems
Always out of money, asking for money while unable to or attempting to hold down a job. Consistent stimulant abuse is an expensive habit, especially for cocaine addicts or those abusing prescription stimulants.
Lifestyle changes
Suddenly spending a lot of time out at night, going out, partying, adopting a different group of friends, and no longer pursuing past interests are strong indicators of substance use disorders.
Treatment for Stimulant Addiction
The psychological dependence of stimulant addiction means that a treatment program will focus heavily on the behavioral health aspects of recovery. Stimulants have a shorter detox period than depressant substances and those suffering from opioid addiction. However, individuals with stimulant use disorders should still seek medical drug detox to help them manage the intense mental withdrawal symptoms that can be experienced.
At Novo Detox, we specialize in detox and residential addiction treatment. We believe that the amount of support and guidance our patients receive in these early stages can play a significant part in relapse prevention as they continue in their addiction treatment program and recovery.
We utilize dual diagnosis and medically assisted treatment (MAT) to treat stimulant dependence and facilitate recovery until brain function returns to normal after abstinence from use. Once this period of dopamine depletion has passed, we focus on individual therapy, behavioral therapy, and other addiction therapy methods to help our patients identify why they turned to stimulant use.
During our stay at our recovery center, you will be met with compassion and treated with integrity. We are dedicated to helping you develop the tools you need to thrive in a life free from stimulant drugs and substance abuse following residential care. As you prepare to return home, our team is fully capable of guiding you through family therapy to repair relationships harmed by the disease of addiction. We will sit with you to put together a relapse prevention plan that will give you action items if you feel your recovery is at risk.
Suppose you need to go from detox to outpatient drug addiction treatment or feel you would benefit from additional support in applying what you learned during inpatient care. In that case, we offer professional referrals to partner facilities that offer top-rated outpatient programs, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient program options.
Our website has a full-time admissions chat available to answer any questions, and our phones are live 24/7, and an expert member of our staff will guide you through enrollment. From detox to sobriety, trust our team to help you with a high level of skill and care. Please call us at (844) 834-1777 today to learn more.
