Stimulant use disorder is a form of drug addiction where someone gets addicted to stimulants, such as amphetamines, methamphetamines, and cocaine. However, stimulants can also include things like caffeine or prescription medications like Adderall and Ritalin. The stronger the stimulant is that you are addicted to, the more severe your side effects will be and the harder it is to stop using the drug.
With stronger stimulants such as cocaine and amphetamines, it is possible to overdose on the drug and die. However, even in situations where you do not overdose, developing a substance dependency can negatively impact your relationships, your job, your health, and your life in general. Therefore, it is important to get the help you need to overcome your stimulant use disorder so that you can get your life back on track.
Detoxification and withdrawal are the first steps of overcoming any form of addiction, including stimulant use disorder. The detoxification process is extremely painful and uncomfortable and can last for several days to several weeks.
While you can optionally go through detox on your own without medical help, it will be much more difficult to make it all the way through. If you have tried and failed in the past, you may benefit from medication-assisted withdrawal.
Medication-assisted withdrawal is where a medical professional uses medications to help you through the detox process. Currently, clonidine is used to help taper you off of stimulants, while certain pain medications can reduce symptoms of pain, discomfort, fever, and body aches. Additionally, trazodone and other antidepressants can reduce feelings of depression and insomnia, which can make it extremely difficult to go through withdrawal.
Once you go through withdrawal, the job of treating the root of the problem begins. For instance, most people start using stimulants for one reason or another, and it is important to find out what it is. The best way to do that is with cognitive behavioural therapy, where you receive counselling and talk through your feelings with a counsellor or psychologist.
In addition to treating the root of your addiction, cognitive behavioural therapy can also help you understand the physical, mental, and emotional damage that stimulant addiction causes.
In addition to cognitive behavioural therapy, most people also benefit from group and one-on-one counselling sessions. Counselling offers you a safe space to talk about why you started using drugs in the first place, how they make you feel, and if you are thinking about relapsing. Talking about your feelings with like-minded individuals significantly reduces your risk of relapsing at a later time.
Another great treatment to help people overcome stimulant use disorder and avoid relapse is contingency management. Contingency management is where you receive a reward or incentive for positive behaviour, such as abstaining from stimulants. This has been found to be highly effective and is a low-risk, high-reward form of treatment.
In the same way that receiving rewards for positive behaviour is helpful in overcoming addiction, so, too, is motivational interviewing. Motivational interviewing is where you review the many ways that stimulant use disorder hurt you. This could include anything from looking at the financial cost of your addiction to how it impacts those around you.
Stimulant use disorder is one of the most common forms of drug addiction in South Africa. It can happen accidentally by getting addicted to prescription medications or on purpose by taking illegal substances. Either way, however, stimulant use disorder is dangerous and can have life-threatening ramifications. As such, it is important to get the help and treatment you need to overcome your addiction and retake control of your life.