why do people use recreational drugs -from a psychology perspective?

Question

from a social, cognitive and biological side. thanks peeps

Answer 1

The answer to all of those questions is: It makes them feel good.

Answer 2

Psychological: Some people think that it will make them "cool" or more socially acceptable to their peers. Some can't deal with reality and use drugs to alter their feelings or perceptions. ( I have always been of the opinion of "What? The world isn't weird enough already"?)

Socially: Again, in many circles, it is just an accepted and expected "thing to do".

Cognitive: I think the psychological answer fits the same way.

Biological: If a person has a chemical imbalance of some sort, they may use drugs or alcohol to bring themselves up when they are down, or down when they are up. It is a form of self medicating. Others may use it to mask the pain of experiences, rather than dealing with the pain and working through it.

Answer 3

Social - they are influenced by their peer group and the rest of the world. However the drugs they take will have different actions depending on the individual.

Cognative- could be that they are trying to stop cognitive processes that they are trying to escape. (Depression, boredom) or that they think they are "better" when on drugs.

Biological - Drugs interfer with brain processes. Act as neorotransmitters or blockers. Drugs effect the synaptic gap between neurons causing a feeling of well being. This doesn't last and if recievers are blocked or natural neorotransmitters are depleated a dystopia follows - this makes the person feel like taking more - (typical coke/crack cravings)

Answer 4

From personal experience:
I started taking drugs as part an experience plus part a reason to belong to social group.
I'm 33 and drugs were an extremely hush hush matter when I was a kid (at least that was my perception). Started smoking hash and it was a great thing to share with friends- we were outside of the law and enjoying a great time together. The same holds true with a whole bunch of drugs for many years but eventually I tired of them, the paranoia, the come-downs, the loss of novelty led to me not doing drugs any more. I was addicted to a couple of drugs in my time but the only one I'm addicted to now is alcohol. A VERY hard drug to beat, wish it was illegal- but hey at least everyone else in the UK does it all the time...

Answer 5

From the social side, to have status within the group and to cement relationships.
Cognitive, It depends what drugs you are talking about. Heroin for instance has no mental effect at all, whereas Cannabis has quite a bit.
Biological, don't know.

Answer 6

At first it's curiosity and peer pressure, then it gets to the stage when they feel that they can't have a good night out without being off thier face...it becomes a habit. For some people who are having a shity time is escapism. People with an addictive nature tend to move on to harder drugs and become addicted.

Answer 7

beats me. Talking about marajuana as a recreational drug, or alcohol as a recreational drug, And I understand biologically that some people are (from the genes) more succeptible to these adictions. I hear them say it relaxes them from a stressful day, but to me that sounds like they are simply adicted. Smoking always was adictive and the makers of cigarettes have admitted to adding more to the cigarette to make it more adictive just to be able to sell the product. Socially these adictions seem to be accepted and acceptable within some and certain groups of people. It's like a clique of people of like mind..

Answer 8

it makes a person feel good is all,nothing psychological about it really i don't reckon
people have always gotten high,since the cavemen days,even some monkeys will eat a certain caterpillar that will get them high,its a primate thing mostly.native people have always smoked and drank .ate mushrooms and peyote.and gotten high, its a part of being human,
part of me would like to get high again.but i am getting old,set in my ways.it does change your perspective on many things its a good thing for some people to get high i think ,it made me very creative.
Peace man, far out, right on, groovy
NO WAR damn it

Answer 9

Mind altering substances have been around since the beginning of time. Alcohol, pot, tobacco are just 3 you think about. Not to mention all the pharmaceuticals people like to take, and hard narcotics lots of educated business types do, like cocaine. But people's minds are chemically altered equally by chocolates, sugars, and poor diets. There are many links between schizophrenia, healthily brain function and diet. i know friends who say eating chocolate makes them feel better, or all the junk food they eat. I don't like sweets or chocolate and friends are always saying how hard it would be for them to not eat sweets or meat. So everyone has his/her drug of choice. Me. I run for my high!!

Answer 10

Escapism ie. life sucks so why not.
Social - the need to do as peers do
Mood changes.
Addiction
Depression - the 'who gives a damn attitude - particularly when it comes to damaging their own lives/bodies.
I am sure there are more in depth reasons too...I will have a think and add more

Answer 11

People and cultures from around the globe have used some form of enhancement since time began , there's nothing new here !!