The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
All other sections in this Literature Study Guide are owned and copyrighted by BookRags, Inc.
This term is used to describe drugs that act as central nervous system (CNS) stimulants. Such drugs generally are appetite suppressants, decrease sleep and fatigue, increase energy and activity, and at higher doses can cause convulsions and death.
Ingestion typically results in increased wakefulness and a decreased sense of fatigue, increased speech and motor activity, alertness, and, frequently, elevation of mood. Many of the drugs in this class have a potential for abuse, with reports of euphoria at higher doses. Although users often report improved performance on physical and mental tasks, this is rarely the case, but they do restore performance that has been impaired by fatigue.
Prolonged use of most of these drugs can result in tolerance to many of their effects. Repeated high doses can result in distorted perception and overt psychotic behavior.