Stimulant tolerance, or, the tears of things

Abstract

The article explores the effects of chronic stimulant use on various cognitive functions and subjective experiences. The main hypothesis is that the benefits of chronic stimulant use may be masked by withdrawal effects, leading to an overestimation of their effectiveness. The article discusses evidence that suggests that withdrawal from stimulants can cause a range of cognitive and emotional symptoms, including fatigue, decreased alertness, and irritability. It reviews studies that have attempted to measure the chronic effects of stimulants on cognition, and presents findings that are consistent with the withdrawal reversal hypothesis, suggesting that chronic stimulant use may not provide net cognitive benefits. The article also discusses the potential for individual differences in stimulant metabolism and how this might impact the optimal cycle period for stimulant use. Finally, it provides recommendations for designing self-experiments to assess the effects of stimulants on individual cognition and suggests using supplements like theanine to enhance the effects of caffeine. – AI-generated abstract.