Most drugs are meant to help us get better from an illness or disease. But some drugs have high effects and addictive tendencies that a lot of people do not know when they get hooked on them. Too late, they find themselves being addicted to these drugs. Consuming drugs beyond or without the Doctor’s prescription is the start of a long and turbulent journey of addiction. No drug, no matter how small and irrelevant it looks, should be taken without a proper prescription. Even some prescribed strong medications can become addictive when used for a long time. Most addictive drugs stimulate the release of dopamine popularly known as the feel-good hormone, which is why people are subtly addicted to them.
Here are five drugs that are more addictive than they look.
1. Suboxone
It is no longer news that some addiction treatment medication can also become addictive. One such drug is suboxone. Suboxone is a drug that helps in the recovery process of persons who have stopped using opioid drugs. It contains buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine reduces the withdrawal symptoms people get after they stopped using opioid drugs, and naloxone helps to overturn the effects of heroin and drugs that are similar to it. However, unlike morphine, heroin, and other opioid drugs, the addictive level of suboxone is quite mild because its onset is slow and does not trigger dependency. Suboxone withdrawal can be tranquil when compared with withdrawal from other highly addictive drugs such as nicotine and barbiturates.
2. Nicotine
Based on the harm rate, nicotine is considered not only highly addictive but more harmful than heroin. Research has shown that nicotine helps to make other non-drug activities more enjoyable. It is a gateway substance that helps to prime people to self-administer other drugs.
3. Barbiturates
Barbiturates are an old class of body relaxing drugs and act as sedatives or depressants. There is a thin line between a safe dose and an overdose, as the risk of a fatal overdose is high when compared to other drugs. It is so addictive that sudden withdrawal from use and physical dependence can lead to death. Effects of consuming barbiturates range from reduced inhibition, slurred speech, euphoria and relaxation loss of coordination, impaired speech, and confusion.
4. Heroin
Many people already know that these drugs are addictive, but they are not aware that they are way more addictive than they appear to be. Heroin is highly intoxicating, keeping users sedated even to the point of nodding off during conversations. There is a high risk of overdose consumption with heroin use. This is because tolerance for the drug can be quickly developed, thereby leading to the need to mix it with other drugs and potential overdose.
5. Cocaine
The speed at which a substance can reach the brain determines its addictive level, which is why cocaine is considered highly addictive. The dopamine signals quickly teach the brain to repeat this drug; hence, the quick addiction level. The dependence level of cocaine has been revealed to be less when compared with heroin and nicotine.