It’s strange how the human body works—we will always attempt to protect ourselves. Self-medication is a form of that protection, but it happens without the person really knowing what they are doing to themselves. Subconsciously, you latch onto the substance that provides you with a lift. Maybe it begins slowly and innocently. But over time, the need to use in order to feel normal can snowball into an addiction.

Now, this isn’t to say that a patient could trade in their Zoloft for illicitly-obtained Adderall if they wanted. But it can’t be denied that some street drugs do provide a spike in dopamine, and therefore can be at least somewhat effective against depression and other mental illnesses. But if they aren’t the right medication or are likely to be addictive, it’s not a helpful solution.

Many mental illnesses, including bipolar disorder, ADD and ADHD, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, anxiety disorder, OCD and so on can create the need for a medical intervention. The problem is, if an individual is not currently in psychiatric care, they might not realize that their urge to use substances is inspired by their mental illness.

Antidepressants are one of the most common forms of medication used to treat mental illnesses. It is believed that opiates can actually produce an effect similar to an antidepressant. In the wake of a widespread opioid epidemic, it’s certain that self-medication plays a role.

Because stimulants (like cocaine, amphetamine as found in Adderall, methamphetamine) act on the neurotransmitters that also act on our moods, they are a common choice of drug for use in self-medication. Since medication that spikes dopamine can also lift the mood, it makes sense that it would be used to counter symptoms of depression or other mental illnesses. In fact, most recreational drugs seem to spike levels of dopamine, if only a small amount.