Nowadays, the traditional means people use for socialization and recreational purposes, such as alcohol or tobacco, have become more diverse and accessible. Stimulants belong among such recreational means that recently gained in popularity. However, their social and recreational level of use often turns into abuse and addiction. There are two major mediators in this case: psychological perception and physiological body response. Due to their combined effect, individuals become increasingly prone to losing control of their intake.
Psychological factors are the first factors that begin to influence stimulant use. In contrast to alcohol, one of the most widespread means of recreation, stimulant intoxication has a much more significant impact on one’s state of mind and body. Stimulating the user’s sympathetic nervous system, it triggers the “fight-or-flight” state that increases blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration. Although the particular effects on each individual might vary, the users generally experience a surge of energy despite their body’s actual exhaustion.
Apart from that, their perception of external stimuli changes to the extent they might consider themselves genuinely happy at the moment. In this context, the stimulant’s use becomes analogical to taking happiness in credit. Similarly, as one would enjoy their new car, an individual initially enjoys his “happy” state; however, when the emotions are gone, they are left with the credit they have to pay, which limits their usual state. Not being able to afford something they were previously able to begins troubling them and encouraging irrational behavior.
At this point, the physiological side of the stimulants’ problem comes into play. The continuous use of stimulants makes the body tolerant to its effects, limiting the sensation per dose. Compared to the initial cases, constant use has diminishing effects, which leaves individuals with a choice of accepting what they have or increasing the dosage. Due to the psychological desire to experience the same state of overwhelming ecstasy, individuals frequently tend to choose the latter. Thus, gradually, their means of socialization and recreation turn into dependence and abuse.
Caught in between their emotional hunger and diminishing ability to satisfy it, individuals become addicted to stimulants. First, stimulants change one’s perception, misleadingly making people psychologically addicted to the sensation. Then, the body’s rising tolerance urges them to increase the dosage in order to experience the same emotions. In many cases, people are unable to resist the urge, losing control over their stimulant intake and starting to abuse it.