What Drug Is The Most Addictive? Addiction is a complex problem. Most of the time, people get the wrong impression because of misleading information. This is especially true when it comes to the most addictive drug. The most sensible way to understand a drug’s potency and its addictive properties is by learning how addiction works in the human body. In a recent study that was published by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), there are at least six types of substances that are scientifically proven as highly addictive: heroin, nicotine, marijuana, cocaine, and caffeine. These criteria are often used to evaluate the addictive properties of a particular substance.
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Withdrawal According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), at least nine percent of the country’s population are addicted or have misused opiates. For example, heroin is one of the most popular addictive substances that have already claimed thousands of lives in the past two decades. Because this drug can cause physical dependence, a person may strongly feel the urge to use it over and over again in order to avoid experiencing the withdrawal symptoms. Simply stopping the use of any opiate drugs like heroin may lead to the following symptoms.
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Based on clinical studies, addiction to alcohol is also found to have the worst withdrawal symptoms among the known addictive substances aside from heroin.
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Reinforcement As a psychological process, reinforcement refers to the positive and negative experiences that you may experience while taking a particular substance. For instance, a person who is addicted to cocaine is more likely to use the substance repeatedly even if it already affects his or her mental and psychological condition. Because of its life-threatening properties, cocaine addiction is considered as one of the most powerful substances and the most difficult type of addiction to address. Tolerance The National Institute on Drug Abuse defines tolerance as a physical condition in which a person may no longer respond to a particular substance the way he or she initially reacts. As a reminder, addiction is not the same as tolerance. Nowadays, two of the most powerful drugs that target at the cellular level are heroin and morphine. Dependence If a person constantly feels the need to use drugs in order to think and act normally, then he or she shows symptoms of drug dependence. Heroin is often cited as one of the most common substances that cause physical dependence. Most people who are addicted to heroin usually suffer from depression. Symptoms of dependence may include confusions and violent behavior. Intoxication Many health experts and medical researchers agree that the alcohol is the most common substance that causes intoxication. Among the most visible signs of intoxication include changes in speech and physical coordination. A person may also start when the body has already reached its alcohol threshold. Various studies clearly reveal that addiction is a complex problem. That is why a clear-cut answer as to which drug is the most addictive seems impossible. Several factors must be considered first such as the five criteria mentioned above. In case you need to help someone who is struggling with substance abuse, consult an addiction specialist who can provide you with the most recent and relevant information.