These 7 Substances Are The Most Addictive
A recent study by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSUDH) estimated that more than 21 million Americans (aged 12 and older) battled addiction and substance abuse issues. Drug addiction is a disease that impacts brain circuitry and behavior and is classified by an inability to control drug use. Addictive drugs act on the pleasure center in the brain, causing a shortcut to reward that, when repeated, can change the way a person manages information. The addictive qualities of drugs may be enhanced by how good they make a person feel when using them and how bad they may make them feel when they dissipate. Chronic drug abuse can cause drug dependency, which leads to withdrawal symptoms, and drug cravings when without the drug.
Below are the top 7 most addictive substances listed in no particular order.
Alcohol
Alcohol is socially accepted in most places, so it seems like it shouldn’t make this list, yet it has been rated as the most dangerous substance in the world by The Lancet. Alcohol produces a relaxed, somewhat euphoric feeling, limiting inhibitions and slowing down nerve firings. It also causes withdrawal symptoms, cravings, harmful behaviors, repeated use, fear of life without it, and increased tolerance. It is one of the few substances where detoxing must be medically supervised as it can be life-threatening.
Cocaine
Cocaine is a stimulant drug derived from the coca plant that grows natively in South America. Cocaine creates an intense high as it floods the brain with dopamine, the neurotransmitter involved with pleasure. The effects are quick, significant, and short-lived. Depression and cravings are some of the more prominent features of cocaine withdrawal that make the drug more addictive and harder to stop without professional help.
Opioids
Opioid medications are not all bad and can be safe when used correctly and as prescribed by your doctor. They are used to safely help control acute pain, such as after surgery. But when they are misused, the effects can be devastating. Opioids are made from the poppy plant or synthesized in a laboratory. They muffle pain and produce feelings of pleasure. What makes them effective also makes them dangerous. Those feelings make people want to use them for longer, which can lead to addiction.
Heroin
Heroin is an opioid drug made from morphine. It doesn’t take long to develop a tolerance, so users must continue to increase their dose to get the same effect. The withdrawal symptoms are awful, which perpetuates continued use. Long-term effects are nasty, including loss of white matter in the brain, which affects decision making and behavior control.
Tobacco
Yes, tobacco is a drug. That’s part of the reason why it is so widely used around the world. The nicotine in the leaves is what makes it so addictive. Withdrawal symptoms are extremely powerful and cause not only physical but psychological effects as well. Never mind that smoking is the number one cause of preventable deaths in the US.
Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine, or meth, is a powerful stimulant drug man-made in covert laboratories out of questionable chemicals. It produces an intense euphoric high, increases focus, pleasure, and excitability. It also has psychotic side effects like aggression and violence. Tolerance happens quickly and leads to rapid dependence. Meth causes brain damage that can result in severe depression, potential suicide ideations, and significant drug cravings.
Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines are one of the most commonly prescribed medications in the US. They are used to help with anxiety, panic, sleep, and seizures. Within 1 to 4 days of discontinued use, users may begin to experience adverse side effects that worsen after 10-14 days. These can include panic attacks, sleep disturbances, nausea, headaches, muscle pain and stiffness, and other such symptoms. It is another drug that needs to have a medically supervised detox as it can also be life-threatening.
Addiction and Detox Treatment at Pacific Manor
At Pacific Manor Recovery, we offer drug and alcohol addiction treatment options. We have a medical detox program that ensures you are safe and medically supervised by our highly experienced staff during your detox. Following that, we offer 30, 60, and 90-day inpatient rehab programs at one of our beautiful, retreat-like resources. And if you are unable to stay, we have outpatient programs as well. Our holistic treatments are comprehensive and include many behavioral therapies so that we treat more than just the addiction – we treat you. Here at Pacific Manor, we know that addiction is about more than just substance abuse. Substance abuse is a cover for underlying conditions and co-occurring disorders such as trauma and mental issues. Our goal is to work with you on all aspects to take back the life you deserve. Long-term recovery is attainable. There is hope. Contact us now at (888) 300-4370.
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