Rehab Center for Stimulant Addiction

Stimulants increase levels of the chemical dopamine inside a brain network known as the limbic system, or pleasure center. Dopamine naturally rises in response to human activities that bring pleasure. Stimulants mimic this effect, but in an outsized way, leading to the onset of a profoundly pleasurable sensation called euphoria. Euphoria is also a common side effect of other addictive substances. In many cases, this sensation creates the enticement to begin a harmful pattern of substance abuse.

The most commonly known stimulants include:

• Cocaine
• Methamphetamine
• Adderall
• Ritalin
• Concerta
• Dexedrine
• Caffeine

Stimulant Addiction Facts and Statistics

In 2016, The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) estimated that roughly 1.7 million Americans over the age of 11 abused a stimulant medication each month. In addition, approximately 1.9 million Americans over the age of 11 used cocaine. Roughly 667,000 people over the age of 11 used methamphetamine.

SAMHSA’s breakdown of the ages of people who misuse or abuse stimulants for each category of stimulants was as follows:

Stimulant Medications

• People age 26 or older – roughly 876,000 affected
• People between the ages of 18 and 25 – approximately 767,000 affected
• Younger adolescents and preteens – roughly 92,000 affected

Cocaine (including both powdered cocaine and “crack”)

• People age 26 or older – roughly 1.3 million affected
• People between the ages of 18 and 25 – approximately 552,000 affected
• Younger adolescents and preteens – roughly 28,000 affected

Methamphetamine

• People age 26 or older – roughly 594,000 affected
• People between the ages of 18 and 25 – approximately 65,000 affected
• Younger adolescents and preteens – roughly 9,000 affected

SAMHSA also tracks the number of people with diagnosable symptoms of stimulant use disorder. In 2016, roughly 540,000 Americans over the age of 11 met at least the minimum threshold for this condition. In sheer numbers, adults over the age of 25 are affected most often. However, in percentage terms, risks for the disorder are highest in young adults between the ages of 18 and 25.

Stimulant addiction can be a difficult condition to overcome. But with treatment, support, and a strong relapse prevention plan, individual outcomes and quality of life can be improved. Our luxury stimulant addiction treatment center provides evidence-based therapies, 24/7 medically supervised detox, residential care, and group therapies, which guide the intensity and duration necessary to go beyond stabilization to achieve lasting recovery.

For someone in the depths of stimulant addiction, recovery can feel like an unattainable goal. But it’s important to know that stimulant addiction can be overcome and a clean and sober life can be achieved. No matter how many times an addict has tried and failed, or how long they’ve been struggling with the disease, recovery is possible. It’s never too late to get treatment.

When clients first walk through our doors at Alta Mira, many are unaware they may have an untreated mental health issue that is contributing to their struggle with stimulant addiction. Treating the symptoms of the addiction alone may not lead to lasting recovery if the co-occurring disorder remains unrecognized and untreated. Our approach provides for the most accurate diagnosis possible, enabling our team to customize an effective treatment plan to fit your unique needs and goals, providing a pathway to a more authentic, productive, and healthy life.

Evidence-Based Treatment Modalities

We use evidence-based modalities in our residential stimulant addiction treatment programs, including dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skills, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Somatic Experiencing (SE), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), where appropriate.

Accurate Diagnosis

From your initial psychiatric evaluation to your individualized neuropsychological testing, we work to develop the most accurate diagnostic profile possible. Depending on each individual client’s detox, identifying underlying co-occurring issues can take several weeks.

Appropriate Medications

Following the initial psychiatric evaluation, clients meet with our psychiatrist weekly while they are in residential treatment with us. When prescribed, the use of genetic testing can help clients get on medications that work better for them with fewer side effects.

The term stimulant abuse has several partially overlapping definitions. For a person with a legitimate prescription to a stimulant medication, abuse occurs whenever that drug is taken in larger amounts than intended and/or in larger doses than intended. For an individual without a legitimate prescription, any consumption of a stimulant medication qualifies as a form of abuse. In addition, episodes of abuse occur whenever a person consumes any amount of a stimulant street drug.

Stimulant abuse also has a more formal definition as part of a diagnosable illness called substance use disorder. People affected by this disorder have established a dysfunctional lifestyle based on the consumption of a stimulant drug or medication. Aspects of this lifestyle can include such things as:

• Repeatedly consuming stimulants in physically dangerous situations
• Consuming stimulants in a pattern that makes it difficult or impossible to meet responsibilities at work, at home, or in school
• Consuming stimulants despite the negative repercussions on important personal relationships

The stimulant use disorder diagnosis also applies to people who are addicted to stimulant drugs or medications. Addiction to these substances occurs when their presence triggers long-term changes in the brain’s day-to-day function. Essentially, the brain comes to expect a certain amount of the drug or medication in question. If this demand goes unmet, the user will experience unpleasant and potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms. Other indications of a stimulant addiction include:

• Rising tolerance to the mind-altering effects of a drug or medication
• Loss of control over the intake of a drug or medication
• An inability to quit taking a drug or medication despite repeated attempts
• Establishment of stimulant use and recovery from stimulant use as main life priorities

Affected individuals also tend to develop strong urges for stimulant use when occupied with other activities.

When consumed in excessive amounts, any stimulant drug or medication can overwhelm the central nervous system and trigger the onset of an overdose. Common symptoms of a relatively mild overdose may include:

• Muscle tremors
• Lightheadedness
• An irritable or confused mental state
• High sweat output
• Aggressive behavior
• Chest tightness or pain
• An irregular heartbeat

Life-threatening symptoms of a severe overdose include:

• Convulsions (i.e., seizures)
• An unsustainably high body temperature
• Stroke
• Extreme heartbeat irregularities
• Complete cardiac arrest

For most stimulants, risks for a severe overdose are closely linked with increases in drug/medication consumption. However, a cocaine user can develop potentially lethal problems even when consuming an accustomed amount of that drug.