Sault Blog

This past Saturday, driving to the downtown multiplex cinema, at the corner of Brock and Bay Streets, I noticed a number of individuals loitering. One of the individuals with the mandatory kid’s bike and shopping cart for his possessions was seemingly shouting at a coffee shop patron, whilst not realizing that his pants had fallen down. I cringed at this all-too-common Downtown Plaza occurrence, wondering what mental state this individual is in.

After parking my car, I proceeded to the entrance doors of the downtown multiplex cinema, where I encountered a girl lying prostrate with a number of hooded young delinquent-looking men hovering over her, laughing and truly enjoying themselves, while they were administering something to her.
I wanted to attend to this young woman; however, I decided to stay clear as I was not sure that maybe one of the hooded delinquents might assault me, as they seemed to have a vested interest in this young woman.

Entering the mall, I walked to a Janitor and pointed out the woman lying in front of the entrance doors, explaining that she seemed to be in some form of distress. I asked him if he knew what was going on.
The Janitor replied, “It’s a group of tweakers and they are tweaking.”

I hadn’t the faintest idea of what he was talking about, and it must have shown in my blank, dumbfounded stare back at him.

He then hurriedly commented, “I’m going to get Security,” and left. I went to watch my chosen movie, which can best be described as a waste of time, money, and film, and a reminder of why I hadn’t gone to the movies in years.

A subsequent, quick Google search defines “tweaking”, regarding substance abuse, as a term that goes beyond casual drug use. It represents a critical phase in the cycle of addiction, particularly associated with the consumption of stimulants like methamphetamine and amphetamines. At this stage, individuals exhibit specific behaviours and characteristics that set them apart from recreational drug users. Tweaking is a physical and psychological state that can occur following a methamphetamine binge. During the binge, the person continues to use meth to delay the “comedown,” a state that is hallmarked by the increasing loss of desired effects, and positions the user squarely at the onset of highly unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

After prolonged use, the person is no longer able to experience a high, and the user begins “tweeking”. At this time, the person will feel intense cravings and desperation that can no longer be sated. It is at this point that psychotic symptoms may manifest, and the user begins to suffer from delusions, hallucinations, and altered perceptions.

Tweaking is marked by a set of behavioural patterns, including:

Intense Drug Bingeing: Tweaking individuals often engage in prolonged drug bingeing, consuming large quantities of the substances over an extended period, sometimes days on end.

Hyperactivity and Restlessness: This phase is characterized by heightened agitation, restlessness, and extreme energy. Despite the seemingly boundless energy, tweaking individuals eventually become utterly exhausted.

Repetitive and Paranoid Thoughts: Tweaking individuals frequently experience repetitive and paranoid thoughts. Paranoia is a direct consequence of tweaking; users often experience extreme paranoia, hallucinations, and delusional thinking. They may become convinced that someone is out to get them, leading to erratic and aggressive behaviour.

Loss of Control: Unlike recreational drug users who can moderate their intake, tweaking individuals lose control over their drug consumption. They become engulfed in a continuous cycle of using and seeking the drug. Tweaking represents a reckless, uncontrolled, and self-destructive pattern of behaviour.

Overdose: One of the most pressing dangers of tweaking is the risk of overdose. As individuals consume increasingly higher doses of stimulants to maintain their high, they can easily reach a point where the body can no longer tolerate the drug.

Community Impact: Tweaking contributes to the burden on public resources, including healthcare, social services, and law enforcement. Communities suffer when individuals engage in self-destructive behaviours, leading to increased crime rates and strained emergency services.

I am glad that the Mall Janitor, on honest man doing an honest day’s work, who quickly explained to me what the real problem is in our City: Out of control drug users “tweakers”, loitering and/or camping in our Downtown Plaza, restaurant drive-thru, Wellington Street, Gore Street, Banks, and all throughout our City’s businesses. These tweakers are consuming illegal hard drugs, provided by drug dealers that are not forcefully prosecuted, because of soft-on-crime and bail laws, all of which amount to an out-of-control drug problem wreaking havoc on our community. This is not a homeless person’s problem; this is a law-enforcement problem, tweakers need to be force-incarcerated, and drug-dealers need long jail convictions, because we want our city back!

Mark Menean, http://www.saultblog.com
Thank you: archstonerecovery.com, midwoodaddictiontreatment.com