Substance Use: Stimulants

While opioids and cannabis slow down our brain, stimulants speed things up. Stimulants include caffeine, nicotine, amphetamines, methamphetamine, cocaine, crack cocaine and medications like Adderall and Ritalin prescribed to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Stimulants can make a person feel more awake, alert, confident or energetic.

Stimulants affect people in different ways, depending on their bodies, how much of and how the drug(s) were taken (inhaled, swallowed, injected, snorted, etc.). Stimulant use impacts worker safety. Misusing stimulants can cause changes in a person’s emotional behavior. High doses of stimulants can cause dangerously high body temperature and an irregular heartbeat, putting the user at risk for heart attack or seizures. Toxic amounts of stimulants can cause an overdose — even high doses of caffeine, like those found in some energy drinks can be toxic.

Stimulants are also called “performance-enhancing drugs.” Work conditions can impact stimulant use. For example, jobs like long-haul trucking or second/third shift work may be more related to stimulant use, misuse, addiction and overdose. Having to work multiple jobs or long shift work may also impact stimulant use.