HealthInfo Canterbury
Stimulant addiction or abuse
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Stimulant drugs turn the brain on, giving the user a good feeling and intense energy.
A person using stimulants may feel sexier, stronger, more courageous, and more capable. They may need less food or sleep.
A person using stimulants may be frenetically active for days on end. They may do far more than they're normally capable of doing.
When a drug experience goes bad, a person using stimulants may collapse in exhaustion. They may also become aggressive, agitated or even psychotic.
Important
It's easy to take too much of a stimulant, and overdoses are common. Overdoses can result in heart pain or palpitations, seizures, psychosis or death.
If you think you or someone else may have overdosed, call an ambulance on 111.
Common stimulants are those based on amphetamines like methamphetamine (ice, crystal meth, P). These are very different from the prescribed amphetamine ritalin, which doctors use to treat ADHD in children.
Other stimulants that people can abuse are cocaine and ecstasy (MDMA). These work differently from amphetamines.
Stimulant drugs come in many different forms and people can take them in different ways. They can be swallowed as tablets, sniffed as powder (snorted), injected, or smoked in a pipe or bong. Most stimulants are highly addictive.
People who are addicted to stimulants may lose their jobs or lose their families. They can damage their health and reputation. They may start doing crime to get access to more drugs.
If a police officer pulls you over while driving, and you're high on a stimulant, you may lose your licence or face a criminal conviction.
Like other addictive drugs, there are effective treatments for people who use stimulant drugs and would like to withdraw and become drug free.
Support services
- 0800 Meth Help
The Meth Help counselling service offers free, confidential phone support for anyone in New Zealand. Call 0800-METH-HELP (0800-638-443).
- Alcohol Drug Helpline
The website of the alcohol drug helpline (0800-787-797 and txt 8681) has information, online tools, and a service directory for support. You can call or txt the helpline any time.
The alcohol drug helpline has a Māori helpline (0800-787-798) and text service (8681) to provide culturally-appropriate support to Māori.
It also has a Pasifika helpline (0800-787-799) and text service (8681) to provide culturally-appropriate support to Pacific peoples.
HealthInfo recommends the following pages
- NZ Drug Foundation
- Cocaine
Information about what cocaine feels like, how to be safer using it, when to get help and how to cut down.
- MDMA (Ecstasy)
Information about what ecstasy feels like, how to be safer using it, when to get help and how to cut down.
- Methamphetamine (ice, crystal meth, P)
Information about what methamphetamine feels like, how to be safer using it, when to get help and how to cut down.
- Video about methamphetamine
This series of videos is aimed at teenagers and has everything a Kiwi teenager needs to know about common drugs in New Zealand. The videos can also help give adults confidence to start conversations about drugs with a young person.
This video is also available in Māori.
- Cocaine
- Community Alcohol and Drug Services Auckland – Methamphetamine (P)
Information about Methamphetamine (P), including reducing harm.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed June 2020.
SourcesReview key: HIADG-47857
