Consider Maslow's pyramid of needs in terms of neurotransmitters and neurohormonal regulation. At the basic levels of physiological needs and the need for safety, the hormones dopamine and cortisol are involved in the mechanisms of negative and positive reinforcement. At the levels of need for belonging and love, oxytocin, cortisol are involved. At the level of the need for respect (reverence) and cognitive needs, serotonin and cortisol are involved. As we can see from the above, cortisol is involved at all basic levels of human needs as a factor of negative reinforcement.
Modern man has a number of tools that allow him to avoid elevated levels of cortisol. Namely, many types of addictions, as a rule, allow you to short-term reduce the level of cortisol. Such addictions, in particular, are alcohol consumption, shopping, fast driving, etc.
In this case, a person falls into a vicious circle of dependence. So, alcohol only briefly at the time of consumption lowers the level of cortisol and increases the level of dopamine. However, as a result, the next day a person gets an increased level of cortisol, a general breakdown and weakness. At the same time, a stable connection is built in the brain over time, a high level of cortisol is alcohol intake, as a means to reduce the level of “stress”. The same connections usually arise with other addictions (shopaholism, drug addiction, gambling, etc.).
We need to understand that short-term, unhealthy habits will not be able to overcome stress, the unfulfillment of basic needs. All we will achieve is the rat race in a circle of increasing problems, increasing addiction. Many believe that people go into addictions for pleasure. I advocate that in most cases people get harmful addictions in an attempt to escape from stress, in the fight against elevated levels of cortisol. This is how the most terrible thing that can be arises, a person begins to lose himself, lose his strength and his connection with reality. After all, trying to escape from pain is actually an attempt to escape from reality.
According to a study by the Happiness Institute in Denmark, social networks also reduce the level of people's happiness. Those who did not use social media for more than a week showed higher levels of happiness. And the reason here is that the rejection of social media makes Us communicate more with people, meet, call up.
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