Suicide More Prevalent Among Stimulant Abusers

Posted by azdrugrehabctr on December 29, 2014 under Addiction Trends | Comments are off for this article

Suicide is a social problem that is often the end result of a drug addiction. Stimulants are drugs like cocaine, methamphetamine and Adderall. Stimulants are a commonly abused class of drug that researchers have found can be a major catalyst for suicide attempts and suicides. While those suffering from a drug addiction are more likely to think about, attempt and follow through with suicide, this new information isolates stimulants as the most abused drug when it comes to those who are suicidal.

Stimulants provide a different kind of high than opiates like heroin or prescription drugs like Oxycontin. People who ingesting stimulants are often very impulsive and much more susceptible to drastic mood changes, especially after the high has worn off and major depression sets int. These behaviors are what researchers think is the reason why suicide among stimulant addicts is so high.

“Our study addresses a number of important issues that could change practice. While it confirms that drug use itself represents a significant risk for suicidal behavior, it identifies cocaine and amphetamine users as a higher-risk population,” explained one of the researchers. Interestingly enough, an early use for amphetamines included kamikaze pilots – to give them the courage to kill themselves in battle.

While all drugs can be harmful, people who are addicted to cocaine or methamphetamine can lead a particularly lonely life. Since the effects of the drugs wear off so fast, the user is in a constant cycle of craving the drug, oftentimes going to great lengths to obtain the drug, being high and then back to craving the drug again. This cycle leaves little time for anything else in the addict’s life. Family and friends are quickly out of the picture when it comes to battling this type of heavy addiction.

For people who are abusing large amounts of stimulants, paranoia is also a likely side effect. Sometimes the paranoia can be so great that the addict has to completely remove themselves from society because of the distrust and panic that sets in after continual usage.

Researchers are hoping that this information will lead to more specialized treatment for cocaine and methamphetamine addicts. Currently there are very few treatment facilities that specialize in these types of addictions.