In our busy, stressful culture, stimulant use and abuse are common. Stimulants are some of the most commonly abused drugs in the United States. Illegal and legal stimulants can be dangerous and difficult to quit taking without medical and psychiatric support. The team at Northpoint Seattle can help you, and your loved ones overcome stimulant addiction with our comprehensive outpatient treatment programs.
If you or someone in your life is taking legal or illegal stimulants, don’t quit cold turkey. The team at Northpoint Seattle’s clinics can help. With substance abuse treatment programs in Seattle and Bellevue, our programs provide integrative approaches to addiction and mental health disorders. Call us now at 888.483.6031 to begin stimulant addiction treatment in Seattle today.
What Are Stimulants?
Stimulants are drugs that speed up messages from the brain to the nervous system. They can motivate and create feelings of joy and pleasure. They can make someone work faster, feel hyper-focused, and stay on task. Frequently referred to as “uppers,” stimulants can boost confidence and make people feel a profound sense of power. Illicit stimulants like meth and cocaine can increase libido and sexual pleasure, making them increasingly popular.
Stimulants are used all over the world every day. Prescription stimulants are used to treat conditions like ADHD and ADD. While useful, they can also be highly addictive. Illegal stimulants like meth and cocaine have been popular for centuries. Contrary to popular belief, people from all walks of life use stimulant drugs. Today, legal and illegal stimulants are common in college classrooms and boardrooms to enhance focus and productivity.
Common Legal and Illegal Stimulant Drugs
Stimulant abuse is common and can happen to anyone whether they take medication as prescribed or seek out illicit stimulants. Common stimulant drugs include:
- Adderall
- Amphetamines
- Cocaine
- Concerta
- Crack cocaine
- Methamphetamines
- Crystal Meth
- Dexedrine
- Ecstasy
- Flakka
- Focalin
- Khat
- Ritalin
- Vyvanse
While prescription stimulants can help some people with focus, they can lose their efficacy over time. This can lead to people needing and wanting higher doses or crushing and chewing pills for a faster effect. Long-term use of stimulants can damage the brain and body, particularly the heart.
Effects of Stimulant Use and Abuse
Stimulants can cause immediate feelings of joy, elation, and success. By flooding the brain with dopamine, people may feel highly motivated and productive. Heart rate, digestion, and metabolism all speed up while on stimulants. Stimulant side effects include:
- Extreme mood swings
- Manic behavior
- Secretive behavior
- Drug-seeking behavior
- Changes in personal hygiene
- Irrational and strange behaviors
- Weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Paranoia
- Restlessness
- Agitation
- Trouble sleeping
- Nightmares
Unfortunately, when stimulants wear off, the whole body slows down before leveling out. This can cause extreme mood swings, depression, lethargy, and suicidal ideation. For many people, the intense dopamine and increased energy of stimulants can quickly lead to addiction.
Outpatient Stimulant Addiction Treatment Programs Make a Difference
At Northpoint Seattle, we’re determined to help the people of Washington State recover from Stimulant addiction and co-occurring disorders. Whether you or a loved one is struggling with prescription or illicit stimulants, the team at Northpoint Seattle is here to help.
We make stimulant addiction treatment accessible with a range of outpatient programs. We accept most insurance plans to help the community recover from stimulants and other drugs. Our dual diagnosis treatment programs can help you and your loved ones understand, treat, and mitigate mood disorders and addiction to lower relapse rates and prevent overdose.
Call Northpoint Seattle Today to Get Started with Stimulant Addiction Treatment
Don’t let another day go by. Call Northpoint Seattle now at 888.483.6031 to find the right outpatient treatment program for you.