In Module 1 readers will learn about:

• Current rates of stimulant use disorders and overdose in the United States, including overdose involving the combination of stimulants with synthetic opioids (e.g., fentanyl) or semisynthetic opioids (e.g., heroin).
• Recent trends that are making stimulant use more lethal, such as the use of stimulants in combination with opioids or the increasing purity and decreasing price of cocaine and MA.
• The ongoing unmet treatment needs of people with stimulant use disorders, as well as the need for efforts to improve treatment retention.
• Rates of prescription stimulant misuse and how prescribers can help combat diversion.
• Legislation and regulations relevant to patients with stimulant use disorders and behavioral health and healthcare service providers who work with them.
• Neurological reinforcement systems (i.e., the reward system, the stress system) and other brain structures and mechanisms underlie the occurrence of stimulant use disorders and influence key aspects of stimulant use disorders, like craving and memory dysfunction.
• Brain imaging technology has played an important role in helping researchers and clinicians understand the ways in which short-and long-term stimulant use can affect the brain.
• Stimulants alter the dopamine system in ways that can affect substance use. For instance, increased feelings of pleasure and euphoria when using a stimulant can reinforce its use.
• Providers should be aware of the specific medical and psychological acute and chronic effects of each of the three main types of stimulants generally used by individuals with stimulant use disorders: cocaine, MA, and prescription stimulant medication, such as methylphenidate for ADHD.