Stimulant Addiction | Signs, Symptoms, and Treatment in Maryland
Stimulants are a class of drugs that increase alertness. These drugs may be used by prescription or misused for various effects, including performance enhancement, weight loss, and recreation. Some stimulants are illicit, such as cocaine and methamphetamine.
All stimulants are highly addictive because of their effects on the brain and the euphoria they cause. Dependence builds quickly, possibly leading to an addiction and increasing the risk of overdose, withdrawal, and negative physical and mental health effects.
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Key Points
- Stimulants are a drug class that includes drugs of abuse like cocaine and methamphetamine, as well as prescription medications like Adderall and Ritalin.
- Stimulants speed up activity in the brain, leading to euphoria that can reinforce drug use.
- Like other drugs, stimulants have risks like abuse, addiction, overdose, and adverse health effects.
What Are Stimulants?
Stimulants are drugs that stimulate activity in the central nervous system (CNS) because of their action on neurotransmitters like norepinephrine and dopamine.[1] They may be used medically to treat symptoms of impulsivity or inattention in conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or recreationally.
Stimulants come in various forms, including pills, capsules, powder, and liquid suspensions that are injectable. Illicit stimulants can be used by smoking, snorting, or injecting the drug. Prescription stimulants may be misused to improve physical or cognitive performance, to get high, or as a weight loss aid.[2]
Stimulant Addiction and Abuse
Stimulants have a high addiction potential because of the effects they have on the brain. They stimulate neurotransmitters like dopamine, which affect the brain’s reward system, and reinforce the feeling of euphoria and repeated use.[3] Most stimulants produce intense euphoria that comes on quickly and fades, leading people to binge the drug to maintain the high. This quickly builds tolerance and dependence.
Illicit stimulants like meth and cocaine are known to have high addiction potential and associated risks. However, prescription stimulants also carry risks and the potential for dependence, even when taken as directed. These medications may lead to physical dependence with regular use, even when taken as prescribed, and are generally intended for short-term use. Misusing or abusing stimulants increases the risk of addiction.
Types of Stimulant Drugs
Stimulants are a broad class of drugs that include both medically accepted prescriptions and illicit drugs of abuse, such as:
- Ritalin
- Adderall
- Dexadrine
- Concerta
- Methamphetamine
- Cocaine
About 45.2% of young adults who used prescription stimulants misused them in 2019.[4] Misuse occurs when someone takes a prescription drug in higher or more frequent doses than prescribed, or uses it in unintended ways, such as crushing or dissolving it to snort or inject. It’s also misuse when people use drugs prescribed to someone else.
How Do Stimulants Work?
Stimulants increase the availability of the neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine, speeding up activity in the CNS. These neurotransmitters control a variety of functions, including unconscious actions such as regulating the heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure, and rewarding behaviors, such as eating, having sex, and getting high from substances.[5]
Most stimulants are classified as Schedule II substances because of their risk for misuse, abuse, and addiction. These drugs are commonly misused to pull all-night study sessions, lose weight quickly, or stay awake for extended periods. Stimulants may be injected, smoked, or snorted to produce more intense euphoria when they are used to get high.
Effects of Stimulants
The effects of stimulant drugs depend on the drug itself, how it’s used, the potency, and other factors. Some of the intended or desired effects of stimulants include:[6]
- Alertness
- Physical stamina
- Low appetite
- Long periods of wakefulness
- Feelings of invincibility
There are negative effects, however, including:[7]
- Rapid heart rate
- High blood pressure
- High body temperature
- Panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Violent actions
- Seizures
- Psychosis
Can You Overdose on Stimulants?
It’s possible to overdose on stimulants, especially when taking high doses or when there are other risk factors involved. High doses of stimulants can cause severe symptoms such as seizures, headaches, panic, aggression, and paranoia. Some of the signs of stimulant overdose include:[8]
- Headaches
- Feeling hot or flushed
- Sweating
- Rigid muscles
- Seizures
- Psychotic symptoms
- Agitation or irritability
- Confusion or disorientation
- Difficulty breathing
A stimulant overdose is a medical emergency that requires immediate intervention and supportive care to control symptoms and prevent complications.
Signs of Stimulant Abuse and Addiction
An addiction to a stimulant like Adderall or cocaine is characterized as a stimulant use disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). The criteria include:[9]
- Using higher doses of stimulants or using them for long periods
- Inability to stop using stimulants despite a desire to
- Spending a lot of time obtaining, using, or recovering from stimulants
- Cravings for stimulants
- Failing responsibilities at work, home, or school as a direct result of stimulant use
- Continued stimulant use despite negative effects
- Using stimulants in risky situations
If you or a loved one is ready to get help but finances are holding you back, give us a call. We can work with your health insurance provider.
Stimulant Addiction Treatment in Maryland
Prescription and illicit stimulants are both potentially addictive. Even taking a prescription stimulant as intended for long periods can build tolerance, resulting in the need for more of the drug to get the same effect, and dependence, resulting in the body becoming used to the drug and needing it to function. When stimulant use stops, withdrawal symptoms can occur.
The withdrawal symptoms for stimulants can vary depending on the drug itself, but generally include opposite effects to the high, such as fatigue, depression, and anxiety, as well as intense cravings. Tapering schedules are common in stimulant addiction treatment to slowly reduce the dose and allow the body to adjust, lessening withdrawal symptoms.
Though stimulant withdrawal is not usually considered dangerous, medical detox as part of an addiction treatment program may be necessary to manage withdrawal symptoms and prevent possible complications. After detox, it’s important to undergo comprehensive addiction treatment to address the social, emotional, and physical causes of addiction.
Therapies Used in Stimulant Drug Addiction Treatment
At The Freedom Center, we offer several levels of care to meet our clients where they are in their recovery. Residential treatment, also known as inpatient treatment, provides the most intensive and structured setting in an addiction treatment center with 24/7 care and supervision, while a partial hospitalization program (PHP) provides intensive support during rigorous sessions, but clients are permitted to return home in the evenings. We also offer intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) and traditional outpatient treatment programs to suit each client’s need for support with flexibility.
Each treatment plan is individualized, regardless of treatment setting. Some of the treatment services we offer include:
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All content produced by The Freedom Center undergoes a detailed evaluation process to ensure accuracy and quality. We only work with medical professionals and individuals with extensive experience in the field, and all content produced undergoes a review process to ensure accuracy. Our goal is to be a reliable resource the recovery community can turn to for information they can trust.
If you or a loved one is ready to get help but finances are holding you back, give us a call. We can work with your health insurance provider.
Frequently Asked Questions About Stimulant Addiction Treatment
Stimulant abuse occurs when there is excessive use of stimulants, either prescribed or not prescribed. Stimulant abuse can lead to physical, social, or emotional harm and a stimulant use disorder. Stimulant addiction, which is the continued use of stimulants despite the negative effects on health or relationships, may also occur with excessive or repeated stimulant abuse.
Sources
[1] Stimulants. Stimulants | Student Health and Counseling Services. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://shcs.ucdavis.edu/health-topic/stimulants on 2025, April 21.
[2] Stimulants DSC. (2023). In U.S. Food And Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/media/168066/download on 2025, April 21.
[3] U.S. National Library of Medicine. (1999, January 1). Chapter 2-how stimulants affect the brain and behavior. Treatment for Stimulant Use Disorders: Updated 2021 [Internet]. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK576548/#:~:text=On%20a%20short%2Dterm%20basis,et%20al.%2C%202017) on 2025, April 21.
[4] 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) releases. (n.d.). CBHSQ Data. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/data-we-collect/nsduh-national-survey-drug-use-and-health/national-releases/2019 on 2025, April 21.
[5] U.S. National Library of Medicine. (1999, January 1). Chapter 2-how stimulants affect the brain and behavior. Treatment for Stimulant Use Disorders: Updated 2021 [Internet]. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK576548/#:~:text=On%20a%20short%2Dterm%20basis,et%20al.%2C%202017) on 2025, April 21.
[6,7] Alcohol and Drug Foundation. (2025, March 7). Stimulants. Retrieved from https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/stimulants/ on 2025, April 21.
[8] Stimulants. (n.d.-e). Retrieved from https://www.overdoseday.com/wp-content/uploads/IOAD-Factsheets_A4-4.pdf on 2025, April 21.
[9] Stimulant use disorder. PsychDB. (2024, July 25). Retrieved from https://www.psychdb.com/addictions/stimulants/1-use-disorder on 2025, April 21.
