Understanding of Stimulant Abuse, Research Paper Example

Introduction

The use and abuse of stimulants in the United States continues to be a major health issue as well as a political and criminal concern for several different groups of individuals.  Amphetamines are perhaps one of the largest stimulant drugs that are abused and lead to serious consequences by the abusers.  Many of these individuals tend to become very paranoid and engage in behaviors to lash out against what they perceive to be possible threats while under the influence of these drugs.  Furthermore, amphetamine abusers have shown a pattern of overdosing, engaging with individuals that threaten their livelihood or perform homicidal acts against many different types of people whether intentionally or unintentionally.

There have been multiple studies performed on the abuse of amphetamines that have ultimately led to the abusers engaging in acts of homicide.  In fact, “the events leading to the homicidal act were directly related to amphetamine-induced paranoid thinking, panic, emotional liability or lowered impulse control” (Ellinwood, 1971, p. 90).  Many of these characteristics are direct results of the effects that stimulants, specifically amphetamines, can have on individuals that are amphetamine users.  Still, there are often personality traits or personal behaviors that often lead to predictive amphetamine usage.  In fact, the use of other illegal drugs is often one of the predicting factors that an individual may become an amphetamine abuser (Ellinwood, 1971).  In addition, there are specific environments that support the spread of amphetamines and other stimulant abuse within particular groups of the populations.

The behavior and health process by which an individual can show stimulant abuse or amphetamine abuse is very particular.  Tolerance is likely to build up more rapidly than other substances and it suggests that individuals are likely to engage in amphetamine usage continuously and in very large doses.  These behaviors often continue for a period of about five days in which the individual gradually becomes more paranoid and disorganized until the abuser usually ends up in a semi-comatose status (Kramer, Fischman & Littlefield, 1967).  After this status ends, the individually likely awakens with a strong urge to resume taking the amphetamine drugs as quickly as possible.  It is the addictive nature of the stimulants and amphetamines that usually lead to individuals becoming frequent abusers and leading to even more dangerous side-effects or health damaging behaviors.

Oftentimes there are myths about amphetamine users that these individuals tend to “tweak” out or react out of paranoia.  Usually, criminal behaviors are used by these amphetamine abusers out of the need to receive the drugs or to protect their own lives.  In the very end, the abusers have a dire urge to be under the influence of these stimulants that they become extremely tolerant and need to use more of the drugs to receive the same feelings and effects of the drugs as they normally do.  Many of these myths, as proven by the literature and research, are held to be true.  There is a negative connotation associated with individuals that use from the individuals that come into contact with them.  These individuals are difficult to interact with and become paranoid by the simplest of actions.

Due to the negative impact that stimulants and other addictive illegal drugs have on the body and the individual’s actions, it is clear that these types of behaviors and substances must be removed from society.  These individuals must be arrested and sent to a drug rehabilitation facility upon the first sign of drug abuse.  Too often society tends to offer people freedoms to act in any way that they wish without instituting proper punishments for these behaviors.  Drug and stimulant abuse is a serious problem and must be eliminated from society for the safety of potential abusers, to clean up particular environments that condone such behaviors, and to potentially save the lives of individuals that may become victims of abusers while they are under the influence.

References

Ellinwood, E. H. “Assault And Homicide Associated With Amphetamine Abuse.” American Journal of Psychiatry 127.9 (1971): 90-95.

Kramer, John C., Vitezslav S. Fischman, and Don C. Littlefield. “Pattern and Effects of High Doses Taken Intravenously.”Journal of the American Medical Association 201.5 (1967): 305-09.