The simple idea
Stimulants (cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine) crank up the brain's arousal and reward systems.
- Lower doses: energy, reduced appetite, euphoria, confidence, less need for sleep.
- Higher doses / heavy use: agitation, racing/irregular heart, high blood pressure, seizures, paranoia and psychosis, and dangerous heart events.
| Dose | Effects |
|---|---|
| Lower | energy, less appetite, euphoria, confidence, less sleep |
| Higher / heavy | agitation, racing/irregular heart, high BP, seizures, paranoia, psychosis |
Stimulant‑induced psychosis
Heavy use can cause intense suspiciousness and hallucinations — "people are following me; cameras are everywhere" — that can look exactly like a primary psychotic illness. The way to tell? The timeline (Concept 28): if the psychosis reliably appears with heavy use and clears with abstinence, the drug is the likely cause. But don't automatically blame the drug either — hold two questions at once: what syndrome is present? and could the substance be causing it?
A note on treatment
Unlike opioids, there's no established "maintenance medicine" for stimulant addiction. The strongest help is psychological: CBT, contingency management (rewarding drug‑free progress), and family support.
Quick check ✅
- What serious physical emergencies can high‑dose stimulants cause?
- What tool helps tell stimulant psychosis from primary psychosis?
Remember this 🌟
Where we're going next → The principle behind all substance‑induced illness — the timeline — with cannabis (Concept 45).