Stimulants
Psychoactive Agent
Definition & Types
A substance that temporarily enhances mental or physical activity or both. Often referred to as "uppers" because of the characteristic "up" feeling they cause.
Food:
Coffee, tea, soda, chocolate, energy drinks like Monster, 5 Hour Energy, etc.
Prescription Drugs:
Adderall, Ritalin, Concerta
Recreational (Street) Drugs:
Cocaine, Methamphetamine, Ecstasy, Nicotine
Side Effects & Reason for Use
Side Effects:
Increased alertness, energy, concentration, mood boost, and locomotion. After the "up" there is a "down" where the stimulant wears off. Effects of the "down" include: depression, exhaustion, and irritation.
Reason for Use:
Prescriptive treatment of attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy, depression.
Recreational high
Addiction, Overdose & Withdrawal
Addiction:
Prescription and street drugs are highly addictive. They do not require multiple uses to start addiction.
Overdose:
Mainly the result of street drugs like cocaine and amphetamine, cause many deaths from cardiac arrhythmias and respiratory collapse.
Withdrawal:
Physical withdrawal (symptoms that happen after stopping drug use) is mild. Psychological withdrawal is severe due to pleasurable effect.