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- What is Stimulant Addiction?
- Effects on the Body & Brain
- What is Stimulant Craving?
- Withdrawal Symptoms
- Counter Conditioning Treatment
- Schick Shadel Hospital
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What is Stimulant Addiction?
All addictive drugs produce an initial pleasurable effect, followed by a rebound unpleasant effect. This is because the drug suppresses the normal brain transmitters and creates a chemical imbalance. The drugs stimulant effects produce a positive feeling, but when it wears off, leaves a person with the opposite feelings. A chemical imbalance is created, resulting in irritability that physically demands more of the drug to go back to normal and feel good again. This pleasure/tension cycle leads to loss of control over the drug — and addiction.
Like adrenaline, stimulants increase your heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate, yet constrict blood vessels. Stimulants also dilate pupils, release sugar and fat into your blood stream, and energize the brain to increased alertness. Stimulants increase feelings of anger, fear or agitation (fight or flight) and feelings of well-being, riding high, exhilaration or euphoria. When the stimulation goes too high, it produces feelings of panic, paranoia, hallucinations and rage that can progress to potentially fatal seizures and strokes. Ultimately, the brain becomes depressed by the local anesthetic effects, and coma and death can occur.
What is Cocaine?
Cocaine is a chemical that has both local anesthetic properties and stimulant properties similar to adrenaline. Someone who is addicted to the stimulant cocaine has developed a need or habit for that medication.
What is Crystal methamphetamine?
Crystal methamphetamine (Crystal Meth) is a chemical that has stimulant properties similar to adrenaline. Crystal methamphetamine has several different names (crank, crystal, speed). It may be used through snorting, smoking or injection. |
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Physical & Psychological Effects
Stimulant craving is the result of the drug imprinting in the memory a pleasant association of euphoria with the drug. The subconscious memory motivates the individual to seek this drug because of the false imprint. With cocaine, for example, the brain, in effect, has been trained that using the white powder is the fastest way to feel good. This learning process produces a new appetite or drive to seek the drug, called craving. This craving is most often activated by a memory of pleasure. Examples of this would be using the stimulant drug to rapidly feel good when feeling bad, or in situations with people, places and activities where a previous habit / pattern of use has been established.
Stimulants first have a physical effect, then they have a psychological effect. People, places and activities involved with using become more important. People, places and activities or lifestyles that worked through the normal reward system before using the stimulant become less important. In fact, after a time, a heavy user will actually resent people, places and activities not able to fit in with cocaine or ‘meth’ use.
In certain studies, animals would press levers to release certain stimulants into their blood stream, no longer concerned about eating, mating or other natural drives. They would, in fact, die in the process of giving themselves cocaine or methamphetamine.
Usually, a person using such stimulants never gets as big a “high” as with the first dose. This is from the drug’s ability to suppress and deplete the brain’s production of the normal chemical messenger for positive feelings. The brain adapts to the presence of the drug by decreasing production of the normal chemical messenger. As a result, the user feels driven to use more, yet gets a less and less pleasurable effect, ultimately crashing. As tolerance develops to the euphoric effects, higher and higher doses of the stimulant are needed to get pleasurable effects, thereby increasing the risk from toxic effects. |
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What is Stimulant Craving?
Stimulant craving is the result of the drug imprinting in the memory a pleasant association of euphoria with the drug. The subconscious memory motivates the individual to seek this drug because of the false imprint. With cocaine, for example, the brain, in effect, has been trained that using the white powder is the fastest way to feel good. This learning process produces a new appetite or drive to seek the drug, called craving. This craving is most often activated by a memory of pleasure. Examples of this would be using the stimulant drug to rapidly feel good when feeling bad, or in situations with people, places and activities where a previous habit / pattern of use has been established.
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Is There Withdrawal from Stimulants like Cocaine and Amphetamines?
Yes. The severity and length of withdrawal symptoms will vary. This depends on the amount of damage done to your normal reward system through cocaine or ampheteamine use and the rate of recovery. The most common symptoms are drug craving, irritability, loss of energy, depression, fearfulness, wanting to sleep a lot or difficulty in sleeping, shaking, nausea and palpitations, sweating, hyperventilation, and increased appetite. These symptoms can commonly last several weeks after you stop using.
As the drug changes the body’s natural chemistry, natural reward messenger chemical production can be suppressed until it’s almost shut down completely. If the drug is removed at this time, there will be a feeling of panic. This extreme state of irritability, tension and anxiety is what is called withdrawal.
People who use amphetamines also often lose weight because the drug turns off the drive to eat. When a person stops using the amphetamine, there is usually a rebound increase in appetite as the body discovers it literally has been feeding off itself and wasting tissue.
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Fast and Effective Therapy
Counter Conditioning works fast and it works effectively. Our patients can begin recovery without that immediate craving to drink or use. The doctors and nurses providing the aversion treatment, monitor the level of aversion continuously through treatment and in the follow-up sessions.
About 20 percent of addicts have at least two problems: the biochemical problem of addiction, and a psychiatric problem. This is about the same percentage of psychiatric problems seen in non-users. Both problems need to be treated to achieve success, but all too often only the psychiatric problem receives attention. Many have died of their addictions while futilely trying to find out “why they drink” or “why they use.“
A thorough detoxification followed by a comprehensive bio-psycho-social assessment and ‘differential diagnosis’ can ascertain what issues exist so that all the issues can be addressed. Mental illness and chemical dependency are both illnesses of the brain.
Counter conditioning treatment at Schick Shadel is provided to individuals addicted to alcohol, marijuana, opiates (oxy, oxycodone, OxyContin, including other prescription pain killers), Vicodin and crystal methamphetamine (crystal meth or other amphetamines). Read more about Schick Shadel's Counter Conditioning Program »
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Schick Shadel Hospital
A safe facility and environment
Our caring, compassionate medical staff provides the treatment program in a kind, considerate and supportive atmosphere. Helping to rebuild self-esteem of the alcoholic or addict starts from the first day of admission. Positive feedback from staff and other patients helps build a positive attitude towards self and life.
Discretion and confidentiality of medical records
We respect your personal privacy and confidentiality, also following the standards established for the medical industry.
Insurance
Schick Shadel Hospital's treatment program is covered by most insurance. Our admission counselors will work with patients to verify their benefits prior to admission.
Dietary services
All meals and snacks are provided on a daily basis, served in the cafeteria. A registered dietitian is available for consultations and education.
Amenities
Semi-private room with telephone, television, internet connection; patient lounge with televisions; massage therapist is an option at an additional charge; daily newspapers – USA Today and Wall Street Journal free; ping- pong table; patient deck; coffee (regular and decaf), tea and soft drinks available at no charge; educational and entertaining videos and movies are available; housekeeping; comfortable hospital wear and robes are furnished.
We are available 24 hours, 7 days a week to answer your questions
1-800-500-6395 or Contact-Us@SchickShadel.com |
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