Stimulant
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Stimulants are drugs that temporarily increase alertness and wakefulness.
In addition to stimulating the central nervous system, most stimulants also increase the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, and some may produce a sense of euphoria in many individuals. Stimulants are used therapeutically to increase or maintain alertness, either to counteract normal fatigue in situations where sleep is not practical (e.g. while operating vehicles) or to counteract abnormal states that diminish alertness or interfere with consciousness in the absence of fatigue drugs to increase alertness (such as narcolepsy). They may also be used and sometimes abused to boost endurance and productivity as well as to suppress appetite. The euphoria produced by some stimulants leads to their recreational use, although this is illegal in some jurisdictions.
Examples of common stimulants include nicotine, caffeine, amphetamines, cocaine, methylphenidate (Ritalin), ecstasy as well as other drugs — referred to by the slang term “uppers” and used mostly recreationally. Caffeine, found in beverages such as coffee and soft drinks, as well as nicotine, which is found in tobacco smoke, are among some of the world's most common stimulants.
Stimulants with significant mood-altering effects are controlled substances in many jurisdictions, and may be legally available only by prescription (e.g. methamphetamine, brand name Desoxyn), or not at all (e.g. MDMA).
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[edit] Amphetamines
Amphetamines increase the heart and respiration rates, increase blood pressure, dilate the pupils of the eyes, and decrease appetite. Other side effects include anxiety, blurred vision, sleeplessness, and dizziness.
Amphetamines are sometimes prescribed therapeutically by physicians, and their wide availability makes them prime candidates for misuse.[citation needed] Used properly, amphetamines increase alertness and physical ability. They are often prescribed to counter the effects of narcolepsy, a disorder marked by episodes of uncontrollable sleep, and to help patients with ADD or ADHD.
[edit] Abuse
Abuse of amphetamines can cause irregular heartbeat and even physical collapse. A common form of abuse of amphetamines is by people who use them to counter the effects of barbiturates or benzodiazepines taken the previous night for sleep. Barbiturates and benzodiazepines are also often used as a means of "coming down" from amphetamines. This “roller-coaster” effect is damaging to the body.[citation needed]
While amphetamine users may feel a temporary boost in self-confidence and power, the abuse of the drug can lead to delusions, hallucinations, and a feeling of paranoia. These feelings can cause a person to act in bizarre fashion, even violently. In most people, these effects disappear when they stop using the drug.
Amphetamines are stolen or acquired through scams involving pharmacists or physicians who are duped into writing prescriptions for the drugs. These illegally acquired drugs are either sold as is or converted to other forms that can be ingested in a number of ways, including sniffing and by injection.
The most notable effects of large dosages of amphetamines are increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, increased wakefulness and concentration, increased motivation and physical energy, a sense of empowerment, strong feelings of euphoria, decreased appetite, and a large increase in urine excretion. Some of the "come-down" effects include depression, lack of motivation and energy, crawling skin, and, in some cases, amphetamine psychosis (including paranoia, delerium, and visual and auditory hallucinations).
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- A common report from users who are coming down after a long binge is the appearance of "shadow people". This is a visual hallucination where the dark shapes of people appear around the user. It is notable because it is one of the most common hallucinations but is often described as interesting and not at all frightening (apparently not frightening because the user is able to easily distinguish between reality and hallucination despite their lack of control over these hallucinations).
Another means of illegal sale of amphetamines involves "look-alike" drugs produced in illicit laboratories. One danger in these look-alikes is that the potency may vary from batch to batch. A person accustomed to using a weak look-alike may unwittingly suffer an overdose taking the same volume of a stronger look-alike.
Amphetamines can be psychologically addictive in many people. Users become dependent on the drug to avoid the "down" feeling they often experience when the drug's effect wears off.
People who abruptly stop using amphetamines often experience the physical signs of addiction, such as fatigue, long periods of sleep, irritability, and depression. How severe and prolonged these withdrawal symptoms are depends on the degree of abuse.
[edit] Cocaine
Cocaine is made from the leaves of the coca shrub, which grows in the mountain regions of South American countries such as Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru. In Europe and North America, the most common form of cocaine is a white crystalline powder. Cocaine is a stimulant but is not normally prescribed therapeutically for its stimulant properties, although it sees clinical use as a local anesthetic, particularly in ophthalmology. Most cocaine use is recreational and its abuse potential is high, and so its sale and possession are strictly controlled in many jurisdictions.
[edit] Abuse
Crack cocaine is a smokeable form of cocaine. It is usually smoked in a pipe, glass tube, or foil. Cocaine in recreational forms and crack are powerful, but short-acting stimulant drugs. Crack in particular has strong but short-lived effects. Both drugs tend to make users feel more alert and energetic. Many users say that they feel very confident and physically strong. Common effects include dry mouth, sweating, loss of appetite, and increased heart and pulse rates. Both drugs are highly addictive. Excessive doses can cause death from respiratory failure or heart failure.
[edit] Caffeine
Caffeine is a drug that is found naturally in tea, chocolate, coffee, many soft drinks particularly energy drinks, and cocoa. Caffeine stimulates the body, increasing heart rate and blood pressure, and alertness, making some people feel better and able to concentrate. Caffeine is also a diuretic. Caffeine is a very socially acceptable drug, and the vast majority (over 80%) of people in the United States consume caffeine on a daily basis. As a result, few jurisdictions restrict its sale and use.
Caffeine is also sold in some countries as an isolated drug (as opposed to its natural occurrence in many foods). It serves as a mild stimulant to ward off sleepiness and sees wide use among people who must remain alert in their work (e.g., truck drivers). Some medications contain caffeine as one of their minor active ingredients, often for the purpose of enhancing the effect of the main ingredient or reducing one of its side effects.
[edit] Abuse
Excessive caffeine intake can cause anxiety, headaches, and tremors (see main article for full list of overuse symptoms). Caffeine also induces mild physical dependence and can cause withdrawal symptoms if use is abruptly terminated.[1] Combining caffeine with other stimulants can be hazardous.
[edit] MDMA
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a drug that comes either in tablet or capsule form (known as ecstasy), as a powder or crystal. Stimulant effects of MDMA include increased blood pressure and heart rate, loss of appetite, rapid sweating, and a dry mouth and throat. Ecstasy pills often contain amounts of other drugs which may include any of a wide range of substances such as MDA, MDEA, MDBD, PCP, DXM, Ketamine, Caffeine, Amphetamine, Methamphetamine, Ephedrine, Pseudoephedrine, Aspirin, Paracetamol, and, in a small number of cases, PMA[2], Cocaine[3], Fentanyl[4], mCPP, BZP+TFMPP, DOB[5], and 2cb[6]. In some cases the substance sold as ecstasy may not contain MDMA at all.
MDMA was historically used in a therapeutic setting by a small number of psychiatrists for marriage counseling, before it was outlawed by the DEA because of its widespread recreational use. As of 2001, it is being considered by the FDA in the treatment of Post-traumatic stress disorder.
[edit] Nicotine
Nicotine is an alkaloid found in the nightshade family of plants (Solanaceae), predominantly in tobacco, and in lower quantities in tomato, potato, eggplant (aubergine), and green pepper. Nicotine alkaloids are also found in the leaves of the coca plant. Nicotine constitutes 0.3 to 5% of the tobacco plant by dry weight, with biosynthesis taking place in the roots, and accumulates in the leaves. It is a potent nerve poison and is included in many insecticides. It is not used therapeutically.
In very low concentrations, nicotine acts as a stimulant, and it is one of the main factors responsible for the dependence-forming properties of tobacco smoking. Although pure nicotine is noncarcinogenic, its presence may inhibit the body's ability to cull aberrant cells.[citation needed]
[edit] Antidepressants
Antidepressants are not considered stimulants, as they do not act directly on the sympathetic nervous system and generally do not produce an immediate effect on alertness. A possible exception is bupropion (Wellbutrin), whose chemical and pharmacological properties are similar to those of amphetamines.
[edit] Other
Recently, there have been improvements in the area of stimulant pharmacology, producing a class of chemicals known as eugeroics, or good arousal. These stimulants tend to increase alertness without the peripheral (body) effects or addiction/tolerance/abuse potential of the traditional stimulants. They have minimal effect on sleep structure, and do not cause rebound hypersomnolence or "come down" effects. Currently, there are two stimulants in this class being used: modafinil and adrafinil, marketed as Provigil and Olmifon, respectively.
In Russia, Carphedon is sold as a general stimulant under the brand name Phenotropil.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Long Island Council on Alcohol & Drug Dependence - About Drugs - Stimulants
- Prevention Online - Publications - Drugs of Abuse - Stimulants *Asia & Pacific Amphetamine-Type Stimulants Information Centre (APAIC)
- The Good Drugs Guide - Non-biased on-line reference guide, an 'Encarta' for recreational drugs
Adrafinil, Amphetamine (speed), Armodafinil, Caffeine, Cocaine, Ephedrine, Epinephrine (adrenaline), MDMA, Methylphenidate, Modafinil, Nicotine
See also Sympathomimetic amines
