a handful of stimulants fell out of a bottle

What Is a Stimulant and How Is Stimulant Addiction Treated?

Addiction Recovery Programs, Mental Health Recovery, Substance Abuse TreatmentBy Dr. Eric Kaplan, M.D.

Stimulants are a class of drugs that impact the central nervous system by speeding up the messages between the brain and the body. Stimulants increase the levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. Dopamine is the body’s natural “feel good” drug. Norepinephrine is involved in regulating the body’s cardiovascular system and breathing. There are…

addiction often starts in the science of the brain

Facts About the Brain Science of Addiction

Addiction Recovery Programs, Alcohol Addiction, Substance Abuse TreatmentBy Dr. Eric Kaplan, M.D.

When we take medications, they often work by directly affecting how our brain chemistry operates. In the case of pain relief, medications block receptors in the brain so that individuals experience less discomfort as they heal from surgery or medical treatment. However, using medications has to be closely monitored so that the body doesn’t develop…