Stimulants and Their Effects

Study Notes

Stimulants are substances that increase activity in the central nervous system (CNS). They elevate mood, increase alertness and attention, and also elevate heart rate and blood pressure.
Common effects include increased energy, reduced appetite, and insomnia.
Examples include amphetamines (e.g., Adderall, methamphetamine), cocaine, nicotine, and caffeine.
Mechanism of action: Stimulants typically increase dopamine, norepinephrine, and other neurotransmitter levels in the brain, leading to their effects.
Medical uses: Some stimulants are prescribed to treat conditions such as ADHD, narcolepsy, and depression. However, they carry a potential for abuse to obtain pleasure from their mood-elevating effects.
Potential adverse health effects: Stimulants can lead to anxiety, restlessness, paranoia, tremors, hallucinations, cardiovascular complications, and dependence.
Withdrawal symptoms: Withdrawal from chronic stimulants can be severe and include fatigue, depression, and cravings.

Depressants are substances that reduce activity in the CNS. They slow down the central nervous system, lowering brain function.
Effects include slowed breathing, reduced heart rate, impaired judgment, decreased alertness and coordination, and slowed reflexes.
Examples include alcohol, barbiturates, benzodiazepines (e.g., Xanax, Valium), and opioids (e.g., heroin, morphine).
Mechanism of action: Depressants typically work by enhancing the activity of GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter, reducing overall brain activity.
Medical uses: Many depressants have medical uses such as anxiety, sleep disorders, and seizures.
Potential adverse health effects: Depressants can lead to respiratory depression, coma, overdose, and dependence (physical and psychological). Interacting depressants with other medications can drastically increase the risk of dangerous and life-threatening side effects.
Withdrawal symptoms: Dependence on depressants can result in significant withdrawal symptoms such as seizures, anxiety, and tremors. Sudden cessation of depressant medications like benzodiazepines can be very dangerous, often requiring medical assistance.

Some substances can act as both stimulants and depressants, depending on the dose and individual factors. For example, alcohol can initially stimulate, leading to increased sociability and lowered inhibitions, but at higher doses acts as a depressant, leading to sedation and impaired coordination.
Combining stimulants and depressants can have unpredictable and dangerous interactions, and potentially exacerbate the risks and side effects of each. For instance, combining alcohol and opioids is extremely dangerous, greatly increasing the risk of respiratory depression and overdose.

Abuse and Dependence: Both stimulants and depressants carry a high risk of abuse and dependence. Repeated use can lead to tolerance, requiring higher doses for the same effects, and eventually dependence.
Dosage and Safety: Dosage plays a crucial role in determining the effectiveness and safety of both classes of drugs. Improper dosage could easily turn a prescribed drug into a health risk.
Individual Response: Individual responses to these drugs vary greatly, affected by factors like genetics and overall health condition.
Accessibility and Availability: Easy access further increases the risk of misuse; illegal access exposes individuals to a range of potentially dangerous, unproven substances without doctor supervision.