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Stimulants of Misuse

Addiction to Stimulants research based on SAMHSA, DAWN, NIDA

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Stimulants of Misuse

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  1. Prescription Drugs of Abuse Stimulants Julie Brownell Ariel Christopher

  2. What is PrescriptiondrugAbuse? Prescription drug abuse1 is the use of a medication without a prescription, in a way other than as prescribed, or for the experience or feelings elicited. According to several national surveys, prescription medications, such as those used to treat pain, attention deficit disorders, and anxiety, are being abused at a rate second only to marijuana among illicit drug users. The consequences of this abuse have been steadily worsening, reflected in increased treatment admissions, emergency room visits, and overdose deaths. For the purpose of this report we are focusing on prescription stimulants (NIDA).

  3. Stimulants • Stimulants are a class of psychoactive drug that increase activity in the brain. These drugs can temporarily elevate alertness, mood and awareness. While some stimulant drugs are legal and widely used, all can be addicting. ( nicotine, caffeine) Stimulants share many commonalities, but each has unique properties and mechanisms of action. • Stimulantmedicationswork by speeding up the messages going between the brain and body through an increase in the activity of the central nervous system and enhancing the effects of Dopamine in the brain, the neurotransmitter responsible for feelings of pleasureand norepinephrine.

  4. What is Dopamine? • Dopamine is both a neurotransmitter and a neurohormone that is produced in several different areas of the brain. Dopamine has a part in many important functions in the brain, playing a role in cognition, punishment, motivation, attention, mood, sleep, voluntary movement, learning and working memory and also to feelings of reward and pleasure. This is why stimulant medication is given to children and adults suffering from ADHD as it helps to regulate impulsive behavior and improve attention span and focus by increasing the levels of certain chemicals such as dopamine and norepinephrine which help transmit signals between nerves.

  5. Ways Drugs Can FundamentallyAlter Neural Or Brain Function Drugs can interact with systems regulating these basic drive states through effects on receptors in the brain and neural circuitry Drugs can capture control of brain mechanisms that control motivations and emotions (i.e., Basic drives, such as anger, fear, anxiety, pain, and depression).

  6. Neurotransmitters & Addiction • Dopamine, one example of a neurotransmitter, is correlated with: “highs” elicited by addictive drugs (i.e. cocaine) • cravings in withdrawal • Dopamine is activated in a “reward system” • Drugs of abuse activate the same reward system, - increasing or decreasing dopamine • Learned emotional reactions are created contributing to drug addiction…

  7. Nucleus accumbens –one site for dopamine release The "reward pathway" in the brain that is activated by natural rewards and by artificial rewards such as addictive drugs. – Janet Firshein The main target of the reinforcing effects of stimulants is the nucleus accumbens Alcohol, morphine, and nicotine also exert some of their reinforcing effects via the nucleus accumbens

  8. Stimulants How they are Taken • Injected-Liquid • Snorted-Powder form • Smoked- Crystals, Liquid • Oral-Capsules, tablets • Desired Side Effects • Make people feel energetic, confident with a high sense of positive feelings like love, happiness and gratitude. They are used to increase performance in work home school or sports.

  9. Stimulants • Long Term Side Effects • Sleeping disorders insomnia • Anxiety-depression • Mental Issues- • paranoia, • High blood pressure • aggression • Irregular heart beat • Malnutrition Unwanted Side Effects • Heart palpitations • Increased respiration • Higher blood pressure • Headaches • Reduced appetite • Irritability • Dry mouth • Sweating • Dilated Pupils Overdose And Death Stroke Heart attack Coma Seizure

  10. Stimulant Medications These psychotropic medications stimulate the central nervous system (CNS) by boosting the release of certain chemicals in the brain and are the most commonly prescribed for ADHD, Narcolepsy, depression (when all other antidepressants fail) and to quell hunger in obese patients. ADHD is treated with stimulant medication to increase the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain particularly in the prefrontal cortex along with therapy and education

  11. Stimulant Medications Adderall (dextroamphetamine and amphetamine) Ritalin (methylphenidate) Most commonly prescribed has several limitations. After taking orally drug is readily absorbed; its clinical effects appear within 1 hour and last r hours and have a half life of 3 hours thus multiple doses per day are required. • Is a racemic mixture of d-and 1-amphetamine that seems to be effective in treating ADHD. The different isomers have different properties and complementary in combination. According to the first empirical studies performed using Adderall have suggested that Adderall has a longer half life than Ritalin and it may enable the use of a singe dose to cover most of a child's school day.

  12. How are Stimulant medications abused? • Prescription stimulants are normally taken in pill form, but some people who abuse them crush the tablets and snort or inject them, • which can cause complications because insoluble fillers in the tablets can block small blood vessels. • Stimulants have been abused for both “performance enhancement” (e.g., to stay up all night cramming for an exam) and to get high.

  13. CognitiveEnhancers • Dramatic increase in stimulant prescriptions over the last 2 decades • Properly diagnosed and taking stimulant medication can greatly enhance a person’s quality of life. • However, prescription stimulants, are increasingly being abused in nonmedical conditions or situations because of there perceived safety. • among academic professionals, • athletes, • performers, • older people, • both high school and college students. • nonmedical cognitive enhancement poses potential health risks, including • addiction, • cardiovascular events, • psychosis.

  14. What are the consequences of stimulant abuse? • As with other drugs of abuse stimulants are no different it is possible for individuals to become addicted. Withdrawal symptoms associated with discontinuing stimulant use include fatigue, depression and disturbance of sleep patterns. Repeated abuse of some stimulants can lead to feelings of hostility or paranoia, even psychosis. Further, taking high doses may result in dangerously high body temperature and irregular heartbeat. Also are potential for cardiovascular failure or seizures.

  15. How many people abuse prescription drugs? • According to results from the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health(NSDUH), an estimated 2.4 million Americans used prescription drugs nonmedical for the first time within the past year which averages to approximately 6,600 initiates per day. More than half were females and one third were aged 12-17.

  16. 2.9 Million Initiates of illicit Drugs

  17. Increase in Emergency Room Visits 2005-2010 DAWN

  18. Non medical use of Adderall increases from 2005-10 Emergency Room Visits

  19. DAWN Report Increase in nonmedical use of Adderall increased from 2005-10 in ages 18 and older

  20. Drug use is highest in late teens-twenties

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