A psychostimulant is a drug that reduces fatigue and increases wakefulness. They decrease depression and stimulate the appetite. Long term usage can lead to emotional difficulties and trouble sleeping. Psychostimulants are sometimes referred to as "uppers". A lot of people arrive in drug rehab in South Africa having abused psychostimulants and in need of addiction treatment. Two commonly abused drugs in this class are cocaine (as well as its alternate form "crack cocaine") and methamphetamine. Both of these drugs can cause physical dependence and lead to addiction.

Cocaine is a naturally occurring susbstance which is reduced from the leaves of the cocoa plant which grows in South America. Methamphetamine is usually synthesized in laboratories by reducing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine but it also occurs naturally in certain trees which grow in west Texas. Both chemicals do have legitimate medical uses which are strictly controlled. When they are abused they can cause serious problems that may require drug rehabilitation.

Cocaine is most commonly insufflated (snorted) while Methamphetamine is more commonly smoked. Methamphetamine crystals can be crushed and snorted and both chemicals can be dissolved in water and injected. Cocaine is more expensive and harder to obtain than Methamphetamine. This is at least partly because Methamphetamine can be synthesized in crude laboratories using chemicals that are relatively easy to obtain. This makes cocaine more commonly abused in urban areas among users who have access to money.

Both cocaine and methamphetamine quickly produce a rush of euphoria. Methamphetamine produces the rush quickest when it is smoked, but longer lasting experiences can be obtained by using other methods of using which also have a slower onset. Cocaine has a half-life of about one hour. This means that after one hour approximately half of the chemical will be removed from the blood. Methamphetamine's half-life is about twelve hours. Users arriving in a drug rehab will undergo a medically supervised detoxification (detox) to help them cope with the withdrawal symptoms that may occur when the effect of the drug wears off.

The drugs have similar physiological effects. They serve to generally stimulate the body and will cause an increased heart rate and blood pressure. Body temperature will also rise. Psychological effects like feelings of irritability and anxiety may occur. Users will feel energetic and more awake. Long term use is associated with hallucinations, paranoia, mood disorders, and violence. Death is a possible side-effect from using these drugs. Clearly drug rehabilitation is something you should ask your physician about!

Long term use of either cocaine or methamphetamine will lead to the body learning to expect the presence of the drug. This is referred to as "dependence" and if the user stops using abruptly he or she may experience negative withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms will include intense cravings that a detox program in drug rehab will help to make more manaegeable.

The damage to the brain is different for these substances. Methamphetamine is thought to be toxic to parts of the brain that are involved in the serotoninergic and dopaminergic systems. Damage to these areas will cause far reaching consequences as a wide range of human behaviour is regulated by them. Animal research is yet to be extrapolated conclusively to human studies in this regard. There is evidence to suggest that long term cocaine use can lead to depression and a decreased attention span that can last years after the drug use has ended. It has not been observed to directly damage neurons, however.

Both drugs are dangerous and if you would like help in finding a drug rehab in South Africa to effectively treat your addiction please contact us. We can help you to find an addiction treatment program that will offer you a way to end the cycle of destruction.