What are Stimulants RC
Stimulants and other amphetamines are chemical substances (“uppers”) that activate the central nervous system, broadly producing effects including euphoria, alertness, increased focus, and increased heart rate.
A number of substances fall under this broad categorization, including illicit and prescription amphetamines as well as crack/cocaine. The following guide will focus on these substances and label all under the umbrella term stimulants.
Synthetic prescription amphetamines and methamphetamine (“meth”) are chemical substances and stimulant drugs – or “uppers.”
Both are available by prescription – meth under the label Desoxyn, and amphetamine most notably as Adderall, Ritalin, and Vyvanse — and indicated for conditions such as ADHD and narcolepsy.
Street methamphetamine comes in the form of a crystalline white powder, as translucent crystals are often clear or yellowish in color, or in pill form. Pure methamphetamine base is an oil.
These substances act upon the central nervous system and raise levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain.
While not the exact same substance amphetamine, and meth are both chemically and structurally related, acting upon the central nervous system, with meth being more potent and its effects lasting longer.
Cocaine is extracted from the leaves of a species of coca plant cultivated in South America, it has been traditionally chewed by Indigenous communities in the region for its mild stimulant and appetite reduction effects from ancient times to the present day.
Prior to the advent of modern anesthesia, cocaine was used for its numbing properties and was widely available in the early 1900s to treat a variety of illnesses.
In the United States today, cocaine is primarily consumed in powder form, which can be either swallowed, snorted, or injected.
Cocaine base, freebase, or “crack,” comes in the form of small whitish rocks, and is primarily smoked. Crack and cocaine are nearly identical chemically and produce similar effects.
Crack is processed using water and sodium bicarbonate (literally baking soda), and its onset and duration of action are shorter than for powder cocaine.
Amphetamine Methamphetamine Stimulant Safety: Getting Amped Up to Reduce Harms When Using Stimulants 3 Stigma and Stimulants “Many of the myths that we believe about drugs are more damaging than the drugs themselves.
They have led to countless preventable drug-related deaths and disproportionately high incarceration rates among Black Americans, and they have prevented us from exploring new treatments and healthier, more humane policies.” – Dr. Carl Hart
See Some Stimulant Product below
Adderall is a prescription medication that contains amphetamine and dextroamphetamine. It is commonly used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. Adderall comes in different forms, primarily distinguished by their dosage and release mechanisms. Here are some different Adderall pills:
AMONG PEOPLE WHO TAKE STIMULANTS
People who use stimulants, particularly crack, and meth, are highly stigmatized, not only by the drug user community and healthcare workers but from public health messaging itself. Some of the considerations regarding stigma for people using stimulants are:
Historical Stigma
• Racism & Classism: Crack & Poor Black Communities
• Classism: Meth & Poor White Communities
• Medical/Dental discrimination: Meth / Adderall / Ritalin
• Xenophobia: Anti-Immigrant Racism, Nationalism
Sensationalizing erratic behaviors and effects of prolonged side effects put forth by news media, social media, government, and law enforcement .
Lack of treatment options, or effective evidenced-based medication to treat dependence.
Lack of buy-in into the behavioral intervention at managing, reducing, or stopping a person’s stimulant use, which includes using contingency management.
Lack of buy-in into other effective supports, including exercise and/or cognitive behavioral therapy to manage, reduce, or stop use.
Stigma within families and networks of social support: Many family members cut people off, perpetuating potential imperfect decision-making / exacerbating harm / increasing isolation.
Difficult and often impossible to navigate “gatekeeping” for those seeking diagnoses and treatment for ADHD from Drs. These sources of stigma feed into the cycle of drug-related stigma:
Breaking the cycle of drug-related stigma is essential in providing quality services and care to people who use stimulants.
Stigma, combined with the criminalization of stimulants, limits opportunities for people who use them in a number of concrete and extremely consequential ways, including:
Healthcare and Social Services
Housing.
Finances
Driving Licensure
Incarceration
Discrimination against People with Criminal Histories / Records
Employment
Welfare Restrictions
Education
Local, National, and International Travel
Safe Environments
Connection with Faith Communities, Family, Friends, and Loved Ones
Internalized stigma furthers negative outcomes for those who use stimulants, via:
Increased Depression
Avoidant Coping
Social Avoidance
Spiritual Avoidance
Decreased Persistence in Accessing Mental Health Services and Other Supports
Decreased Hope and Self-Esteem
Worsening Psychiatric Symptoms
