Knoxville Stimulant Addiction Treatment

Providing Comprehensive Addiction Support in Tennessee

When we talk about our country’s drug crisis today, we typically refer to the growing opioid epidemic. But one class of drugs has always been an issue and is known to be highly addictive: stimulants. Countless Americans abuse stimulants every year, whether they have a prescription to treat an ailment or purchased illicit drugs off the street. In 2012 alone, there were an estimated 1.2 million nonmedical users of prescription stimulants in the United States, and around 360,000 individuals received treatment for stimulant addictions.

Many people don’t even realize they have an addiction because they abuse stimulants purely to enhance performance. If you suspect that you or a loved one have an addiction, call Tennessee Wellness Center today for help. We have specialized treatments for many types of addictions, including stimulant addiction, and are available to serve you from our Knoxville facility.

Contact us today online or call (865) 205-2770 to learn more about our recovery programs and how we treat stimulant addiction at our center.

What Are Stimulants?

Stimulants are a class of drugs that act on the central nervous system, or stimulate it—hence the name—to increase cognitive function. Individuals become more alert when the drug increases the amounts of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. These chemicals then work to improve concentration and decrease feelings of tiredness, which is why stimulants are typically prescribed to individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Some of the most popular prescription stimulants available include:

• Adderall: Perhaps the most popular and well-known ADHD treatment drug, Adderall is the most commonly prescribed amphetamine that helps affected individuals pay attention and controls behavioral issues. It can also be used to treat narcolepsy. However, it’s also widely abused and is popular among high school and college students who use it to increase performance in school.
• Ritalin: Known as a methylphenidate and not an amphetamine, Ritalin is more mild but still has the same effects that Adderall has, such as increased focus on activities and improved listening skills.
• Dexedrine: This stimulant was popular among members of the military and special forces because of its ability to keep soldiers awake during tiring missions like extended combat operations and nighttime bombings.
• Ephedrine: This drug is typically used on people with asthma or those suffering from wheezing or shortness of breath, and it can also prevent low blood pressure. It’s also commonly used in meth labs, though it’s available over the counter, too.

Prescriptions stimulants are often taken orally, but they can also be snorted or injected, which is more common among people with stimulant addictions. It’s just as important to know that stimulants also include illicit stimulants that people purchase off the street, such as cocaine and crystal meth. These substances are highly addictive and some individuals get addicted from the first time they use them.

Common street names for stimulant drugs include:

• Speed
• Uppers
• Skippy
• Lightening
• Bennies
• Mollies

Short & Long-Term Effects of Stimulant Abuse

Plenty of individuals abuse stimulants because it allows them to perform well at school or work, though many also enjoy the euphoric feelings and increased energy it brings. However, stimulant addiction can also create a variety of cardiovascular problems both short and long-term that can be dangerous and have a lasting impact on your life.

Some short-term effects to be aware of include:

• Increased respiration
• Decreased appetite
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat
• Hyperthermia
• Muscle shakes or tremors

In some cases, stimulant abuse can result in sudden death, which is why using stimulants is always dangerous. When a person abuses stimulants over time, they increase the possibility of developing life-threatening health issues that can be difficult to treat. Some of these long-term consequences include chronic exhaustion, breathing problems, muscle deterioration, reduced sexual functioning, and cerebral hemorrhage. Some people suffer from seizures or strokes later in life that are connected to stimulant addiction.

How We Treat Stimulant Addiction

Stimulant addiction, like any addiction, has been known to ruin lives. Individuals who are addicted to illicit substances like crystal meth often spend a lot of money seeking out and purchasing the drug, and people addicted to prescription medications are known to lie or “doctor shop” to obtain more prescriptions.

If you’ve found that you’ve had to take more stimulants to achieve the same high and that you feel bad when you’re not on the drug, you may have an addiction. At Tennessee Wellness Center, our whole-person approach to treatment involves everything from group therapy sessions and partial hospitalization to aftercare services. Our team of experts has successfully treated stimulant addiction before and knows how to get you safely on the path to sobriety.