Stimulants
Stimulants are a class of drugs which include prescription medications used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or depression. When used to treat ADHD, prescription stimulants work by increasing certain chemical messengers in the brain involved in concentration.
Stimulants also include illicit drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine. Both prescription and illicit drugs can be addictive.
Misuse of stimulants may cause side effects which include: elevated heart rate, increased blood pressure, dilated pupils, a sense of exhilaration, increased activity, reduced appetite, and extended wakefulness. Chronic use at high doses may cause agitation, aggression, and suicidal or homicidal tendencies.
Effective treatments for Stimulant Use Disorder include Contingency Management, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and approaches that include Community Reinforcement Motivational Interviewing. Learn more about stimulant harm reduction, overdose prevention and treatment at www.cdc.gov/overdose-prevention/media/pdfs/2024/03/CDC-Stimulant-Guide.pdf
Source: CDC. 7 November, 2024. Stimulant Overdose. Retrieved from www.cdc.gov/overdose-prevention/about/stimulant-overdose.html on November 24, 2024.
Fact Sheets
Research & Statistics
- Data and Dissemination - SAMHSA
Find data and reports on mental health, substance use treatment, and drug use from sources that include: the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS), National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS), National Mental Health Services Survey (NMHSS), and more.
- PubMed
PubMed comprises more than 20 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Citations may include links to full-text content from PubMed Central and publisher web sites.
- Research Data, Measures & Resources - NIDA
Links to various NIDA publications, databases, surveillance, prevention & treatment resources, and more.