Addictive drugs are becoming increasingly popular with a wide variety of health problems. Cocaine is the drug of choice now, but heroin and alcohol are also on the rise. Cocaine is highly addictive and dangerous, making it one of the world’s most deadly drugs. These three drugs have more harmful effects than just dependence on them. They’re also linked to heart attacks, strokes, and even death.
Illicit drugs are addictive because they cause an excessive amount of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that produces a sense of intense pleasure, to be released in the brain. Under normal circumstances, dopamine is normally released in tiny quantities. This is why people feel elated after receiving a gift or winning a big prize. This mild and temporary feeling of happiness induces a sense of satisfaction, which can motivate people and increase their productivity. Illicit drugs, however, release an excessive amount of dopamine, which leads to extreme euphoria and manic behavior.
Why Cocaine, Heroin, and Alcohol are the Most Addictive Drugs
It is common for people to become dependent on drugs, whether for the immediate high or for the temporary relief. Extreme pleasure can make people keep using these substances. Repeated use creates an addictive cycle. Since drug addiction affects the brain and behavior, many people struggling with this disease can’t control their drug use. Addicts are always looking for high-risk, high-reward experiences that they can’t resist. Once addicted, people are more likely to use drugs more often and in increased quantities, which can cause health issues, mental health disorders, and financial problems.
The three most used drugs are cocaine, heroin, and alcohol. People can’t stop using these addictive substances once their pleasure center in their brain gets activated. A person who is dependent on drugs can’t function without them. Drug cravings and withdrawal symptoms occur when they are deprived of the drug.
Cocaine
Cocaine from the coca plant is typically snorted, smoked, or injected. The drug’s euphoric effects are felt almost instantly, and the high can last for up to an hour. Cocaine causes increased heart rate and blood pressure, dilated pupils, sweating, and memory and attention problems. Addiction to cocaine can be a highly dangerous and life-threatening condition and is especially difficult to break when it is treated in the context of all the stresses of modern society. The effects of cocaine use range from euphoria and energy to depression, anxiety, and disorientation.
Cocaine highs can last for hours, and people might do more cocaine to get even higher. The high produced by cocaine is caused by the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter. In the brain, excessive dopamine release leads to feelings of happiness, euphoria, and satisfaction. Since cocaine produces euphoria, excitement, and alertness, it is highly addictive and may be regularly abused in a “binge” pattern.
Heroin
Heroin is an illegal drug that releases opioid molecules in the brain. A euphoric high could result from these molecules binding to opioid receptors in the brain. Other side effects include respiratory depression and constipation. Heroin can have similar effects to prescription opioids such as morphine or oxycodone.
Using heroin regularly creates a physical dependency that can be exceedingly difficult to break and stopping use can result in painful withdrawal symptoms. Heroin can also cause emotional side effects that last for a long time and are often difficult for friends and family to understand.
Alcohol
Alcohol is a popular drink because it is easily accessible and relatively inexpensive. It also stimulates dopamine in the brain, which makes people feel more relaxed and confident. Also, it reduces alertness and encourages irrational behavior, such as road rage or domestic violence. An estimated one out of twelve Americans abuse alcohol on social occasions. This results in economic costs of hundreds of billions every year and contributes to more than a quarter of all fatal car accidents in the United States.
Drinkers of highly concentrated alcoholic beverages experience multiple side effects, including lowered blood pressure and slowed heart rate. Alcohol is a depressant drug, which means it slows down the central nervous system and reduces anxiety and tension. Alcohol has a sedative effect, so people who drink it often feel drowsy and sleepy. In addition, alcohol impairs motor skills and cognition, which can be a problem for people who drive or operate machinery.
Our admissions office is here to help you with any questions you might have about how we can help you achieve sobriety if you are addicted to any of these drugs. We are also available to provide support 24/7. If you would like more information about how we can help you on your recovery journey, please contact us at 954-523-1167.