Stimulant Addiction: Understanding the Scope of the Problem
Stimulant addiction is a growing crisis in Kansas and across the United States, yet many people struggling with it don’t realize how serious it can become until it’s too late.1
Overdose deaths jumped from 12,000 in 2015 to nearly 60,000 in 2023, and nearly 70% of stimulant-related deaths also involved fentanyl, reflecting a growing public health emergency.2
Find Compassionate Care at Arista Recovery
At Arista Recovery, we understand the complexity and urgency of treating stimulant addiction. With locations in Paola and Overland Park, Kansas, we provide trauma-informed, whole-person care that addresses the physical, mental, and emotional roots of stimulant use.
Whether stimulant use disorder began with a prescription or through recreational use, addiction can take hold faster than many realize.
At Arista Recovery, we understand how overwhelming this journey can feel. That’s why we’re committed to offering you or your loved ones a safe, compassionate, and judgment-free space where healing can begin.
Every person’s story is unique, and our care is thoughtfully tailored to support your path forward with dignity, understanding, and hope.
What Is Stimulant Addiction?
Stimulant addiction is a chronic condition where a person becomes dependent on drugs that stimulate the brain. These substances often increase energy, alertness, and focus.
Many people turn to stimulants to keep up with the demands of school, work, or social life. But, over time, repeated use can change how the brain works. This can lead to increased tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, and an intense craving that’s hard to ignore.
Stimulant addiction often affects everything from emotional well-being to decision-making and physical health, often making it feel impossible to stop without caring, professional support.3
Most Common Stimulant Addictions
Some of the most common substances that individuals with stimulant use disorder struggle with include:4
Prescription Stimulants
Substances like Adderall, Ritalin, and Vyvanse are often prescribed for ADHD or narcolepsy, but they are often misused by students, athletes, or professionals seeking enhanced performance or energy.
Illicit Stimulants
Illicit stimulants often consist of cocaine or methamphetamine.
While some individuals begin with prescription substances, others start recreationally and quickly develop a substance use disorder. Even short-term use of these substances can lead to long-term consequences, including dependency and health decline.
How Dangerous Is Stimulant Addiction?
Stimulant use can quickly lead to addiction, causing both short- and long-term harm to the brain and body.5
Some timelines to be aware of include:
Short-Term Effects
In the early stages, stimulants can create a false sense of energy and control. But these short-term “highs” often come with hidden costs, such as:
- Racing heart and high blood pressure
- Restlessness and trouble sleeping
- Loss of appetite and unhealthy weight changes
- A surge in confidence or talkativeness that can quickly turn into agitation
- Anxiety, paranoia, or mood swings after the effects wear off
Sometimes, especially at high doses or with methamphetamine use, people may even experience hallucinations or aggressive behavior.
Long-Term Effects
When stimulant use continues over weeks, months, or even years, the damage deepens. What once felt helpful can start to feel necessary just to function.
Some of the long-term effects include:
- Heart complications, including irregular rhythms or increased risk of heart attack
- Memory problems, mental fog, and cognitive decline
- Significant weight loss and malnutrition
- Dental decay or skin sores, especially with meth use
- Chronic sleep issues and emotional exhaustion
- Depression, isolation, and a growing sense of psychological dependence
Stimulant addiction doesn’t just affect the individual – it ripples out into families, friendships, and communities.
But, here’s the hopeful truth: healing is absolutely possible. With the right support, these patterns can be interrupted, and lives can be rebuilt. At Arista Recovery, we’re here to walk with you every step of the way.
How Arista Recovery Treats Stimulant Addiction
At Arista Recovery, we walk beside you every step of the way with a treatment approach that’s clinically sound and deeply personalized. Because no two journeys are the same, our continuum of care is designed to support you through each phase of healing – mind, body, and spirit.
Our Full Continuum of Care
Recovery isn’t one-size-fits-all. That’s why we offer a range of services to meet you exactly where you are, including:
Medical Detox
This is a safe, medically supervised space to navigate withdrawal with 24/7 support. We offer gentle, compassionate care from our experienced professionals, along with medication-assisted relief when appropriate to help ease discomfort.
Residential Treatment (Inpatient Rehab)
At our peaceful campus in Paola, Kansas, we offer a structured, nurturing environment with daily therapy and wellness practices. Our team also provides healing meals from our on-site chef, plus experiential therapies like equine, art, and horticulture.
Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
Our PHP offers daytime clinical support with the ability to return home or to sober living at night. This option is often ideal for those stepping down from residential treatment or for those who need more structured care.
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
An IOP offers flexible scheduling that allows you to balance recovery with life responsibilities. We provide IOP options at our Overland Park outpatient center for convenience and community.
Outpatient Program & Aftercare
Aftercare and outpatient options provide ongoing counseling, relapse prevention, and support groups to help you stay strong. With our outpatient options, we provide focus on long-term wellness that ensures you can thrive after treatment ends.
No matter where you’re starting, Arista Recovery is here to help you find your footing, reclaim your strength, and move forward with confidence.
Treatment Modalities at Arista Recovery
Our treatment goes beyond surface-level symptom relief. We address the deeper emotional, spiritual, and psychological drivers of stimulant addiction through an integrative model that includes:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT helps you identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviors that fuel addiction. This therapy helps teach practical coping skills for stress, cravings, and relapse prevention, all of which are imperative for long-term healing.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
DBT focuses on building emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. It's especially helpful for those with co-occurring mental health disorders and intense emotional swings.
Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)
REBT teaches you to challenge irrational beliefs and replace them with healthier, more empowering thoughts, supporting lasting behavioral change. This internal change can help set the stage for healthier behavior.
Motivational Interviewing (MI)
MI is a collaborative, goal-oriented therapy that helps you explore your own motivation for recovery, fostering personal empowerment and readiness to change. This can even extend into the family unit as well.
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)
MAT combines FDA-approved medications with counseling and therapy to ease withdrawal symptoms, reduce cravings, and support long-term recovery. Our team will work with you to determine if this can be beneficial in your healing journey.
Equine Therapy
By interacting with horses, clients build trust, communication, and emotional awareness in a calming and nonjudgmental environment. We bring horses on-site to help you create these lasting bonds and start the path to recovery.
Art & Music Therapy
These creative outlets allow you to express emotions that may be difficult to put into words, supporting emotional release and self-discovery in a therapeutic setting.
Horticulture Therapy
Tending to plants and gardens fosters a sense of purpose, connection, and mindfulness. This helps ground you in the healing rhythms of nature and provides an external outlet for healing.
Yoga & Meditation
These practices promote relaxation, body awareness, and inner balance, helping reduce anxiety and improve emotional control during recovery. They’re also beneficial for long-term stress reduction.
Nutrition Counseling & On-Site Chef
Proper nutrition plays a key role in healing. Our on-site chef and nutrition team support physical wellness with meals and guidance tailored to each client’s recovery needs.
How to Support a Loved One with Stimulant Addiction
Watching someone you love struggle with stimulant addiction is heartbreaking. You may feel helpless, confused, or overwhelmed by their behavior, especially when they push you away or deny there’s a problem.
However, your support can make a life-changing difference.
How to Help Your Loved One
There are many ways you can support your loved one in recovery, including:
- Educate Yourself: Learn about stimulant addiction and its effects. Understanding the signs, symptoms, and brain chemistry can help you respond with empathy, not frustration.
- Set Healthy Boundaries: Boundaries are about protection rather than punishment. Clear limits protect your emotional well-being while encouraging your loved one to take responsibility for their actions.
- Avoid Judgment or Shame: Stimulant addiction is not a moral failure; it is a brain-based disorder. Avoid using blame-based language. Instead, offer your concern from a place of love and care.
- Encourage Professional Help: Recovery is possible, but it often requires more than willpower. Encourage your loved one to seek treatment and remind them that getting help is a sign of strength.
- Take Care of Yourself: Your healing matters, too. Consider joining a support group, seeking therapy, or connecting with our family programming at Arista Recovery. We believe you shouldn’t have to recover alone either.
Arista Recovery includes family in the healing process, offering education and tools to help everyone move forward.
Take the First Step Toward Recovery With Arista by Your Side
Stimulant addiction doesn’t have to define your life. With the right help, recovery is possible.
At Arista Recovery, we offer evidence-based treatment, holistic healing, and compassionate care in Paola and Overland Park, Kansas. Whether you're seeking help for yourself or a loved one, we're here to walk beside you every step of the way.
Your Healthier Tomorrow Starts Today
You are not broken – you’re human. And healing isn’t just about stopping substance use; it’s about rediscovering your strength, your joy, and your sense of self.
At Arista Recovery, we create space for that kind of transformation. From your first call to your final day in treatment, you’ll be met with empathy, not judgment, and a team that believes in your potential – even on the days when you might not see it yet.
Call today or contact us online to speak with our team. Your journey to healing starts in Kansas and leads to a future full of hope.
Resources:
- https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/substance-use/stimulants.asp#:~:text=Stimulant%20use%20disorder%20is%20the,such%20as%20Adderall%20and%20Ritalin.
- https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates#Fig6
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK576548/#:~:text=A%20stimulant%20use%20disorder%20changes,through%20the%20development%20of%20craving.
- https://www.dea.gov/taxonomy/term/346
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539896/
