Stimulant Addiction Treatment

Stimulant abuse of both prescription stimulants and illicit stimulants is common in the United States. These drugs are highly addictive and can lead to health problems, both in the short and long term, and come with the risk of overdose. If you are struggling with stimulant abuse, treatment can help you to free yourself from these dangerous drugs.

What Are Stimulants?

Stimulants increase the functions of the central nervous system by interacting with neurotransmitters including norepinephrine and dopamine. This leads to the desirable effects of stimulants including increased alertness, energy, and attention, but can also cause paranoia, anger, and even psychosis. Different stimulants can be taken in pill form, snorted, smoked, or injected.

Prescription stimulants include:

• Ritalin
• Adderall
• Dexedrine
• Concerta

Illicit stimulants include:

• Cocaine
• Methamphetamine
• Bath salts

The Effects of Stimulants

Stimulants are used for several pleasurable effects that they bring, including:

• Better mental and physical performance
• Reduced appetite
• The ability to stay awake longer
• Exhilaration
• Improved self esteem

However, stimulants also have many adverse effects when abused, including:

• Cardiovascular risks from persistently increased heart rate and blood pressure, as well as vasoconstriction (narrowing of blood vessels)
• Dangerously high body temperature
• Hostility and anger
• Paranoia
• Panic attacks
• Psychosis
• Seizures
• Violent behavior

Adverse effects can also come from taking more than one drug at a time, such as taking stimulants with opioids.

Stimulant Addiction

Stimulant abuse can lead to stimulant addiction, also known as a stimulant use disorder. This can happen even if you have only been using stimulants for a short period of time. By definition, eleven signs can tell you if you have a stimulant use disorder. These are:

• Using stimulants more than intended or for longer than intended
• Wanting to reduce or stop stimulant use but not being able to
• Spending excessive amounts of time using stimulants or recovering from using stimulants
• Feeling cravings for stimulants
• Failing to live up to responsibilities due to stimulant use
• Having relationship problems because of stimulant use
• Giving up activities that you enjoy in order to use stimulants instead
• Engaging in risky behaviors like driving while under the influence of stimulants
• Continuing to use stimulants in spite of negative consequences like health issues
• Needing more stimulants to get the same effects
• Having withdrawal symptoms when you are not using stimulants

Two to three of these signs indicate a mild addiction, four to five are moderate, and six or more are indicative of a severe addiction.

Stimulant Withdrawal

Stimulant withdrawal is usually not life threatening, but it comes with a plethora of unpleasant symptoms. These include:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Jitteriness
• Dulled senses
• Slowed speech and movement
• Irritability
• Slow heart rate
• Fatigue
• Hallucinations
• Paranoia
• Increased appetite
• Memory problems
• Insomnia or hypersomnia
• Body aches
• Cravings
• Suicidal thoughts

Many symptoms will go away in about a week, but symptoms can linger for weeks or even months. The greatest danger of withdrawal is severe depression which can lead to suicidal ideation.

Stimulant Addiction Treatment Options

Four levels of treatment are available at most treatment facilities. You can choose only one of the options, but the best course of treatment is comprehensive and consists of all four levels of treatment in consecutive order.

Inpatient Detox

If you have a mild stimulant use disorder, you could opt for an inpatient detox program in which you’ll be supervised and made as comfortable as possible, sometimes with medications to alleviate withdrawal symptoms. A detox program usually lasts seven to ten days. However, you should follow this program with another level of treatment, individual therapy, or frequent addiction support group meetings. Inpatient detox alone is rarely effective.

Inpatient Treatment

A 30 to 90 day inpatient treatment program includes a period of detox, but most of your time will be spent in intensive therapy, both individually and in groups. You may also be treated for any co-occurring disorders, such as anxiety and depression. Treatment for these disorders may include medications, such as anxiety medications and antidepressants.

Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHPs)

A partial hospitalization program (PHP) allows you to live at home or in a sober living facility while attending treatment for four to six hours a day, five days a week for four to ten weeks. The treatment consists of therapy similar to that of inpatient treatment.

Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOPs)

An intensive outpatient program (IOP) consists of two to three hours of therapy three days a week for eight to twelve weeks. Often, sessions are at times that allow you to still go to work or attend school. Ideally, this program is the last step, following inpatient treatment and PHP.

Therapies Used for Stimulant Addiction

Treatment programs usually include a few types of therapy, both individually and in groups. Group therapy has proven to be very effective, allowing peers to interact and to form mutually supportive relationships.

Commonly used therapies include:

• Motivational Interviewing: This approach involves helping you to set personal goals for your recovery, and motivating you to achieve those goals. You’ll explore how stimulants have damaged your life, and what your greatest motivators for recovery success are, whether your career, your health, your family, or some other aspect of your life. Motivational interviewing is usually the first therapy that you’ll participate in because it will increase your engagement in the treatment program as a whole.
• Contingency Management: Contingency management involves receiving positive reinforcement for your good behaviors, such as getting certain privileges or prizes for attending all therapy sessions or passing a drug test.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT teaches you to change your negative or irrational thoughts into positive, reasonable thoughts. For example, you might think “I can just do stimulants occasionally and I’ll be fine”, but then you’ll consciously change that thought to something like “stimulants have damaged my life and health, and I can’t control it. I need to get better and be sober for good.” CBT also teaches healthy coping strategies for facing challenges or dealing with stress.
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT): DBT is similar to CBT but puts more focus on accepting negative emotions and building specific skills to change negative behaviors. It teaches you emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and mindfulness.
• Relapse Prevention Therapy: This approach involves identifying specific relapse risks and triggers, meaning situations or emotions that may lead to relapse. You’ll learn how to handle those risks with healthy coping strategies.

In Closing

Stimulant addiction can negatively impact your health and your life, but with treatment, you can overcome your addiction and have a healthier, more fulfilling future. At Bridges of Hope in Indiana, we have many treatment options and are committed to providing you with compassionate, comprehensive care. Give us a call today to learn more.