Stimulant Large Eye closup

Stimulants—both illicit and prescription—are known to increase energy and alertness. Prescription stimulants can offer therapeutic benefits when used as prescribed. However, both prescription and illicit stimulants have a high propensity for misuse, which can lead to serious potential health effects and/or a substance use disorder (SUD).^1,2,3

A 2019 survey of substance use patterns among Americans aged 12 and older showed that 5.5 million people reported using cocaine within the last year. In that same time period, 4.9 million people in this same age group reported misusing prescription stimulant medications within the last year, and nearly 2 million people reported using methamphetamine in the last year.⁵

Considering the potential health effects, it’s important to understand the risks of using stimulants. If you or a loved one has questions about stimulants and their misuse, this article can help. It will cover:

What a stimulant is.
What stimulant abuse is.
How stimulants are abused.
The signs and symptoms of stimulant abuse.
The side effects of stimulants on your physical health and behavior.
Stimulant addiction statistics.
Abuse of stimulant “study drugs.”
How stimulant addiction is treated.

What Is a Stimulant?

Stimulants are a class of drugs that increase certain types of central nervous system activity and can include prescription medications or illicit substances.^1,2Taken as prescribed, prescription stimulants can offer therapeutic benefits to people with conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy.²

Common prescription stimulants include:^1,2

Amphetamines (Adderall, Dexedrine).
Methylphenidate (Concerta, Ritalin).

Common illicit stimulants include methamphetamine and cocaine.¹

Unfortunately, many illicit and prescription stimulants are prone to misuse and are highly addictive, due in part to the rush of euphoria and exhilaration they often provide.^7,8

In addition to other pharmacological effects, this rewarding stimulant rush is caused by an increase in levels of certain brain chemicals, including dopamine and norepinephrine.⁹ Dopamine plays a role in reinforcing pleasurable behaviors within the reward circuitry of the brain.² Norepinephrine is involved with many of the physical effects of stimulants, such as changes in blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, and respiratory rate.^2,11

What Is Stimulant Abuse?

The misuse of stimulants is a serious concern, as many people of all ages turn to prescription and illicit stimulants for their euphoric and/or alleged performance enhancing effects. But what is stimulant abuse exactly?

Stimulant misuse and abuse occurs when someone takes prescription drugs inappropriately (e.g. without a prescription) or when they use illicit stimulant drugs.^4,5Stimulants are abused for different reasons depending on the substance and its effects. Stimulants may be misused to:^4,6,10

Create feelings of euphoria.
Lose weight.
Feel more alert.
Focus and think more clearly.
Increase self-confidence.
Boost libido.
Improve performance at school, work, or in sports.

Whether stimulants are prescription or illicit, the potential adverse side effects are similar, including:¹⁰

Cardiovascular stressors such as accelerated heart rate and vasoconstriction.
Elevated body temperature and hyperthermia.
Panic attacks.
Psychosis.
Hostility.
Violent behavior.

Stimulants are also highly addictive because of how they affect brain chemistry.^2,8,12,13Significant increases in dopamine levels affect the reward areas (or reward circuit) of the brain and reinforce stimulant use.^2,6,8 When a person’s brain is exposed to a substance over and over again, the circuit eventually gets used to the presence of the drug and, without it, a person can struggle to feel those positive effects, making it more difficult to stop using.²⁵

How Are Stimulants Used?

Stimulants can be taken in a number of ways, with varying effects. Prescription stimulants are most commonly available as tablets or capsules intended for oral use.^1,4,2 In some cases, people may attempt to crush and snort the pills, or dissolve their contents into water to be injected.²Illicit stimulants in their various forms are typically snorted, smoked, or injected.^1,6,14

How a stimulant is used can influence how quickly the effects are felt and how long they last.^6,11,14 Stimulant effects may be felt most rapidly and intensely when the substances are injected or smoked, although they aren’t felt for as long as they would be with certain other methods of use.^11,14 Snorting stimulants still leads to somewhat rapidly felt effects, though they may be relatively less strong and longer lasting than those that result from smoking or using needles.^11,14 Orally ingested stimulants have the slowest onset but the longest duration of effects.^11,12

The way a stimulant is taken may increase the likelihood of certain health risks. Stimulants can be taken by:

Injecting—Injecting stimulants increases the risk of overdose and developing infections and abscesses. Shared needles can lead to blood-borne illnesses such as HIV or hepatitis C.^14,15,16
Smoking—Smoking stimulants puts a person at increased risk of developing breathing issues.
Snorting—Snorting stimulants can damage the nasal tissue.^14,15

Additionally, the risk of developing an addiction may greatly increase when stimulants are used in ways that produce desired effects more quickly and/or with greater intensity.^11,15,16

Physical Effects of Stimulant Abuse

Stimulant abuse can have a major impact on one’s physical health, whether use or misuse is short- or long-term. The range of adverse health consequences can impact the heart, brain, and teeth.^1,4,6 Some of the effects that can be experienced even with short-term use may include:^1,2,4

Anxiety.
Insomnia.
Headaches.
Dizziness.
Increased blood pressure and heart rate.
Chest pain.
Heart palpitations.
Trouble breathing.
Decreased appetite.
Shakiness.
Sweating.
Itching skin.

Chronic stimulant abuse also causes physical effects, including:^2,4,6

Weight loss that can be extreme.
Chronic high blood pressure.
Cumulatively increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke.
Cumulatively increased risk of heart muscle damage and fatal cardiac events.
Problems with memory.
Damage to the lungs if stimulants are smoked.
Difficulty with sexual performance and infertility.
Decreased functioning of the immune system.
Cumulatively increased risk of skin infections, as well as contraction of HIV, hepatitis, and sexually transmitted diseases from sharing needles and risky sexual behaviors.
“Meth mouth,” which involves severe dental decay, gum disease, and rapid loss of teeth.
Chronic respiratory system inflammation and/or damage to nasal mucosal surfaces if stimulants are snorted.

If too much of a stimulant is taken at one time, it is possible to overdose.¹ This can lead to extremely high body temperature, seizures, and even death.^1,2,⁴ Chronic stimulant use or misuse can also put someone at an increased risk of experiencing sudden death from a heart attack or stroke, or persistent health consequences related to these potentially devastating cardiovascular events.^4,6If you believe you or a loved one is experiencing a stimulant overdose, call 911 immediately.

Behavioral Effects of Stimulant Abuse

Stimulant abuse can impact a person’s psychological health and behavior as well.^4,6 Chronic use can exacerbate these effects and make them more noticeable.^2,7,8 These may include:^1,12,14,15

Becoming agitated, aggressive, anxious, or hostile.
Becoming socially isolated.
Engaging in repetitive behaviors that don’t serve any specific purpose.
Grinding one’s teeth, clenching one’s jaw, and drinking sugary beverages, which exacerbate “meth mouth.”
Impaired ability to think, remember, and communicate.
Inability to sleep.
Inappropriate behavior.
Lack of coordination.
Mood swings.
Prioritizing stimulant use above all else.
Psychotic behavior, which can include hallucinations and paranoia.
Risky sexual behavior, such as promiscuity or not using protection.
Hallucinating “meth mites” and compulsively scratching at your skin, leading to sores.
“Tweaking,” where you may exhibit rapid movements of the eyes, lack of coordination, and fast speech that doesn’t make sense.
Unpredictable behavior.
Using until exhaustion.
Violent behavior, which can include homicidal or suicidal tendencies.

Stimulant misuse can quickly turn into stimulant use disorder—in as little as a week in some cases of amphetamine-type stimulant use.^2,15 It can also lead to the development of mental health challenges such as anxiety or depression.^10,^12,15

Stimulant Addiction Statistics

Stimulant misuse continues to be a concern, as seen in the following stimulant addiction statistics:

A 2019 national survey of Americans aged 12 and older showed that 1 million people had an addiction to cocaine in the last year.⁵
The number of people with an addiction to methamphetamine in the last year increased to 1 million, while the number of people with an addiction to prescription stimulant drugs in the last year stayed steady at 558,000 people.⁵
Stimulant overdose rates have been rising, with more than half of the stimulant overdose deaths in 2018 involving opioids.^21,22
About 40% of overdose deaths in 2018 were due to stimulants.¹⁰
In 2019, there were 16,167 deaths caused by psychostimulants, mainly methamphetamine.²²
In 2019, there were 15,883 deaths caused by cocaine.²²

Students and Study Drugs

Prescription stimulants such as Adderall and Ritalin are commonly misused by students to help them stay more alert, improve their focus, and improve their memory.^2,18,20 In fact, the misuse of prescription stimulants by teens continues to rise and be a significant problem affecting younger populations.²⁷ In the early 2000s, the non-medical misuse of prescription stimulants was second only to marijuana in terms of illicit drug use taking place in colleges.²⁰

The misuse of prescription stimulants as study drugs can involve significant risks—a danger that is often overlooked.^2,17,20 Young people who misuse prescription stimulants may also be more likely to misuse other substances and experience a range of polysubstance use-associated health effects.^2,20

Stimulant Addiction Treatment Programs

Professional rehabilitation has helped many people recover from addictions to stimulants.¹⁶ Addiction treatment will be tailored to meet each individual’s unique needs and may include a combination of medical care, psychiatric services, counseling, behavioral therapy, vocational training, and other links to social services to best support the whole person throughout recovery.^6,21,26Rehab facilities are located throughout the U.S., and many offer specialized treatment that can cater to individual needs. You can use SAMHSA’s Find Treatment tool to search for facilities. Many state government websites will provide local drug and alcohol resources to those in need. To find your state government’s website, do a web search for your state name and ‘.gov.’

American Addiction Centers (AAC) is a leading provider of addiction treatment programs and has trusted rehab facilities across the country. If stimulant use is causing problems in your life or that of someone you love, or if you have questions about stimulant addiction treatment, please call us free at to receive valuable information and find a program that provides the compassionate and effective care you need.

Stimulant Drug Abuse: Side Effects and Addiction Treatment