Stimulant drugs
Don't use these drugs ever
Street names
Signs of using
Feeling of exhilaration and excess confidence, Increased alertness, Increased energy and restlessness, Behavior changes or aggression, Rapid or rambling speech, Dilated pupils, Delusions and hallucinations, Irritability or changes in mood, dizziness, tremor, headache, flushed skin, chest pains with palpitations, excessive sweating, vomiting, and abdominal cramps
Risks
Why people use stimulants
Myths
Make you smarter
They are pretty much just brain vitamins
These drugs can't hurt you
Taking someone else's prescription is ok sometimes
If your doctor prescribed the drug, it's okReal life story
I never expected to become a drug addict. I grew up in rural Montana. My dad worked as a narcotics cop, so my siblings and I knew how bad drugs were. I played violin, had my own pony, did well in school, and went to church.
But in sixth grade, I started having social problems. I was teased and excluded by the other kids, especially girls. When I got to high school, I was determined to make friends, so I jumped at the chance to skip school with an older girl and go to a party at her friend's house. Unfortunately, the friend was an older boy who gave us beer and ended up raping me. To deal with the shame, I started drinking, skipping school, and hanging out with "bad" kids.
The next year, I went to boarding school. But even there, I struggled and eventually was sent home. I took a job working for a local telemarketing company and partied a lot with the other workers. One day one of them offered me a "pick-me-up" because I was tired. As it turned out, the "pick-me-up" was methamphetamine or "meth." I smoked it all weekend. The high was so intense it was unbelievable. I felt like Superwoman.
I was hooked right away. In fact, within a week, I was using four or five hits of meth a day to stay high. Within a month, I was arguing with my parents so much I had to move out. I would do anything with anyone to get drugs -- steal car stereos, have sex, whatever. Often when I woke up I didn't know where I was or how I had gotten there.
I hit bottom when I decided I no longer wanted to live. My "friends" tried to help me commit suiside by giving me a huge amount of drugs and alcohol. I didn't die -- but when I woke up I was so sick I finally knew I needed help. I called the youth pastor at our church. He called my parents and they got me into a treatment program.
People using
In Iowa- 6% are recorded users