The Effects of Stimulants

When they are abused, stimulants have many negative effects on your mind and body. They change how you feel and how you act. When someone takes stimulants, he or she goes through immediate emotional and physical changes. The first feelings usually are of euphoria, alertness, and energy. But, like Tymaine, some users become angry, impatient, and even violent. Other effects include loss of appetite, inability to sleep, and mood swings.

Physical changes occur as well. Users have headaches, chest pain, or enlarged pupils. They also may talk very fast, make sudden movements, have a dry mouth, and clench or grind their teeth.

In addition, stimulants can kill instantly. Just one dose can cause heart failure, high fever, or a burst blood vessel in the brain. It is especially dangerous to use stimulants when exercising. Physical exertion causes one's blood pressure and heart rate to increase. The stimulants have already increased one's blood pressure and heart rate, so a stroke or heart attack can result from this overexertion.