Can You be Addicted to Natural Stimulants?

Natural stimulants are drugs that come from the earth that accelerate physiological activity in a person’s body. Most natural stimulants are found in herbs or herbal pills that are sold over the counter. Natural stimulants can be healthy in small doses and can help a person feel more energized and more alert, however if they are abused, just like any other drug they can be dangerous.

All drugs are dangerous to abuse, but stimulants increase a person’s body functioning, meaning that they speed up heart rate and speed up a person’s nervous system. When a person’s heart rate increases too much or if their nerves are overly stimulated they can have tremors, seizures, or sudden cardiac arrest.

Natural stimulants are also commonly used to help people lose weight, which is why many natural stimulants are found in diet pills. Natural stimulants are also commonly found in energy drinks, particularly ginseng, which is a Chinese herb that is said to increase energy.

According to the National Institutes of Health, common uses of ginseng consist of improving overall health of people recuperating from an illness as well as increasing stamina and improving a person’s mental and physical performance. Ginseng is also used for treating erectile dysfunction and menopause symptoms.

Addiction to Natural Stimulants

Addiction to natural stimulants is possible and it can be dangerous if a person does not get help. Natural stimulants are legally sold and if a person has an addiction to them they can receive an endless supply of them. When a person develops an addiction to natural stimulants they will compulsively seek out and use them without the ability to control their urges.

According to the Illinois Department of Human Services, addiction is a chronic brain illness that is treatable. People who develop an addiction cannot control their need for the substance that they are addicted to, even when negative social, health or legal consequences occur. The lack of control from addiction results in changes in a person’s brain, which can also result in changes in a person’s behavior.

Even though natural stimulants may seem harmless, in large doses they can have a negative impact on a person’s body, and addiction, just like any other illness, needs treatment in order for a person to maintain it. Even addiction to natural stimulants will take time and effort for a person to overcome, because it is not about the strength of the drug a person is addicted to, it is about their mentally behind using that drug.