Chapter 6 - schizophrenia.life

Fast Facts

Stimulants supercharge the brain. Psychostimulants, like methamphetamine and cocaine, flood the brain with feel-good chemicals, boosting energy, pleasure, and alertness. But over time, they take over the brain’s reward system, leading to addiction, risky behavior, and lasting mental health challenges.

Stimulants and Schizophrenia. For people with schizophrenia, stimulants worsen symptoms and blur the line between drug-induced psychosis and the illness itself. Treating both together is key.

Beyond addiction. From psychosis to heart disease and even prenatal risks, stimulant use affects not just the individual but families and entire communities.

Reducing drug urges. Antipsychotic medications may ease drug cravings in people with both schizophrenia and substance use disorders, offering a potential path to better treatment.

Subchapter 1.

What is behind psychostimulants’ stimulating effects?

Subchapter 2.

Spotting stimulant use disorder, stimulant intoxication, stimulant withdrawal: how to identify the red flags

Subchapter 3.

How does stimulant use disorder impact health?

References

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DSM-V: American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th edn). APA, 2013.

Ziedonis DM, Smelson D, Rosenthal RN, Batki SL, Green AI, Henry RJ, et al. Improving the Care of Individuals with Schizophrenia and Substance Use Disorders: Consensus Recommendations. Journal of Psychiatric Practice [Internet]. 2005 Sep;11(5):315–39. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16184072/

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