Medical
Currently, stimulants are used medically to treat certain types of asthma, the common cold, depression, obesity, and a wide variety of physical pain and ailments. Most commonly, stimulants such as Adderall, Ritalin, and Vyvanse are prescribed for both children and adults diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Recreational
Recreationally speaking, stimulants are used to change one’s state of mind and users report feeling a "rush" as the central nervous system is flooded with dopamine and epinephrine, and norepinephrine. This rush is caused by the sudden change in both the electrical and chemical activity in the brain. This alteration occurs when a stimulant is introduced, as it causes a manipulation in the natural energy chemicals which are forced out and released into the body when they are not needed. In terms of recreational use, it is common for the user to smoke, inject, snort, and ingest stimulants, all of which create different effects on the body. History
Certain types of stimulants are found in plants and grow naturally. The tobacco plant, the cocoa shrub, yohimbe, the betel nut, and the ephedra bush are just a few of the naturally occurring stimulants. Other forms of stimulants are man-made, with no naturally occurring plant base, and are instead created using synthetic chemicals. Often, this involves using prescription or over-the-counter pharmaceutical products as precursor materials.Stimulants were first introduced to the medical community with the isolation of cocaine from the coca leaf in 1855, which is not only a stimulant but also a topical anesthetic.
In 1879, Vassili von Anrep of the University of Würzburg conducted an experiment in which he applied cocaine to one side of a frog’s limbs before attempting an invasive medical procedure. Cocaine proved to be extremely effective as both an anesthetic and pain reducer.In World War II, soldiers were medicated using a type of stimulant called amphetamines to keep both pilots and soldiers alert, full of energy, and ready to fight. Amphetamines were given in pill form to American soldiers, as well as to Japanese and German military members. It is estimated that German soldiers ingested roughly 35 million doses of Pervitin® through the course of the war. Pervitin® is a brand-name for methamphetamine, a drug that belongs to the stimulant class of drugs. The use of methamphetamine was an attempt by the Nazi leadership to create "super soldiers" who felt no pain and operated with extreme energy and unwavering confidence. The United States, for comparison, had dispensed roughly 200 million Benzedrine® tablets. A mixture of amphetamine salts, these pills were favored for their ability to increase wakefulness and energy levels while simultaneously suppressing appetite.The United States, around the year 1960, saw large increases in amphetamines sold as diet pills, with pharmaceutical companies recognizing the appetite-suppressing and energy-boosting effects stimulants could provide. It was estimated that worldwide sales of diet pills containing stimulants rocketed to over 10 billion tablets sold and that between 6% and 8% of the U.S. population were prescribed these types of medications to aid in weight loss.