Stimulant abuse

Stimulant use disorder is a type of substance use disorder that involves the abuse of stimulants. It is defined in the DSM-5 as 'the continued use of amphetamine-type substances, cocaine, or other stimulants leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, from mild to severe.' These psychoactive drugs, known as stimulants, are the most widely used drugs in the world today. Approximately 200 million Americans have used some type of a stimulant in the past year alone. Stimulant use disorder is a type of substance use disorder that involves the abuse of stimulants. It is defined in the DSM-5 as 'the continued use of amphetamine-type substances, cocaine, or other stimulants leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, from mild to severe.' These psychoactive drugs, known as stimulants, are the most widely used drugs in the world today. Approximately 200 million Americans have used some type of a stimulant in the past year alone. A psychoactive drug, such as a stimulant, is a chemical or substance that affects one’s behavior, mind, and body. A stimulant can be smoked, injected, snorted, taken in pill form, chewed and even ingested in the form of a drink. Synthetic stimulants are becoming increasingly popular as users attempt to alter the chemicals in drugs to create different reactions, and ultimately steer clear of jail time, legal penalties and detection in drug screening efforts. If a substance is used over a long period of time and the user becomes dependent upon it, a substance abuse issue begins to appear. Substance abuse may lead to substance dependence and with time, addiction. Both mental and physiological dependence requires the development of tolerance leading to withdrawal symptoms. Stimulants come in a very large variety of subtypes and among the most common are caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, methamphetamine, amphetamines, amphetamine congeners, electronic cigarettes, diet pills, plant stimulants, energy drinks, and the ever-evolving designer stimulants such as bath salts. Caffeine and nicotine are the most popular stimulants used today, with roughly 400 million cups of coffee consumed daily and 36.5 million current cigarette smokers, according to a 2015 study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nicotine, however, is treated separately psychiatrically under tobacco use disorder. Even in small doses, stimulants cause a decrease in appetite, an increase in physical activity and alertness, convulsions, an elevated body temperature, increased respiration, irregular heart beat and increased blood pressure; some of which can cause sudden death depending upon the medical history of the user, even among first time users. The long-term abuse of stimulants can ultimately cause very serious medical issues, including addiction. Stimulant addiction, similarly to other kinds of addiction, involves neurobiological changes that cause sensitization of the reward system to the stimulus in question (stimulants, in this case). Chronic stimulant users frequently experience physiological changes that can be detrimental to quality of life and require long-term treatment. The symptoms of stimulant use disorder include failure to control usage and frequency of use, an intense craving for the drug, increased use over time to obtain the same effects, known as a developed tolerance, and a continued use despite negative repercussions and interference in one’s everyday life and functioning. Furthermore, a disorder is noted when withdrawal symptoms occur because of a decrease in the drug amount and frequency, as well as stopping the use of the drug entirely. These withdrawal symptoms can last for days, weeks, months, and on rare occasions, years, depending on the frequency and dosages used by the individual. These symptoms include, but are not limited to, increased appetite, decreased energy, depression, loss of motivation and interest in once pleasurable activities, anxiety, insomnia, agitation and an intense craving for the drug. Unless intensive medical and psychological treatment is sought after, there is a very high likelihood of relapse among the user. The use of stimulants in humans causes rapid weight loss, cardiovascular effects such as an increase in heart rate, respirations and blood pressure, emotional or mental side effects such as paranoia, anxiety, and aggression, as well as a change in the survival pathway known as the reward/reinforcement pathway in our brain. An increase in energy, a reduced appetite, increased alertness and a boost in confidence are all additional side effects of stimulant use when introduced to the body. Currently, stimulants are used medically to treat certain types of asthma, the common cold, depression, obesity and a wide variety of physical pain and ailments. Most commonly, stimulants such as Adderall, Ritalin, and Vyvanse are prescribed for both children and adults diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Recreationally speaking, stimulants are used to change one’s state of mind and users report feeling a “rush” as the central nervous system is flooded with dopamine and epinephrine and norepinephrine. This rush is caused by the sudden change in both the electrical and chemical activity in the brain. This alteration occurs when a stimulant is introduced, as it causes a manipulation in the natural energy chemicals which are forced out and released into the body when they are not needed. In terms of recreational use, it is common for the user to smoke, inject, snort and ingest stimulants, all of which create different effects in the body.