The different types of addiction and their effects

Introduction

A drug addiction is a chronic, relapsing disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use despite adverse consequences. A person with a substance abuse disorder may experience withdrawal symptoms upon discontinuing the abused substance when their brain has become dependent on its presence.

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) found that one in four people aged 12 or older in the United States admitted to having engaged in binge drinking within the past month. The same survey also found that nearly 22 million Americans had abused at least one prescription pain reliever over the previous year, including 16 million who reported being addicted to them. cbt near me

Heroin addiction

Heroin is a highly addictive drug. It's also an opioid, meaning it affects the same receptors in your brain that you'd find in morphine. Because of this, heroin is likely to cause similar effects as other opioids like morphine and oxycodone.

Heroin abuse can lead to an overdose if too much is taken at once—this can cause serious health complications such as respiratory failure or death from cardiac arrest (heart attack).

Alcohol addiction

Alcohol is a depressant, which means it slows down the body's functions. It can cause problems with coordination and balance. It can damage the liver, pancreas and heart.

Alcohol also affects brain function by interfering with neurotransmitters in your brain (these are chemicals that send signals from one nerve cell to another). The result of this interference is that you feel euphoric but don't remember much about what happened during your drinking session. There are many other side effects as well—alcohol has been linked to memory loss; erectile dysfunction (impotence); liver disease; anxiety attacks; high blood pressure; increased risk for stroke or heart attack at any age—and these are just some examples!

Cocaine addiction

Cocaine is a powerful stimulant that can be snorted, injected or smoked. It's also highly addictive and can cause heart problems, including heart attacks and strokes. Cocaine causes seizures as well as sudden death in some people who use it recreationally.

Opioid addiction

Opioid addiction is a serious public health problem in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 2 million Americans are addicted to opioids, with some estimates as high as 4 million. Opioids include heroin and prescription painkillers such as Oxycontin®, Vicodin®, Percocet® or codeine cough syrup.

Opioid addiction can cause serious health problems such as respiratory depression, infection and overdose death—and it's easy to get hooked on these drugs if you're already predisposed to substance abuse disorders like alcoholism or drug addiction.

Opioid addiction has reached epidemic proportions in recent years: in 2013 alone there were more deaths due to an overdose involving illegal drugs than any year since 1990—with more than 28,000 people dying from overdoses related specifically to opioids (20% more than 2012).

Sedative drug addiction

Sedative drugs are depressants and they can be used to treat anxiety and insomnia. However, these medications are also abused by people who use them for recreational purposes, leading to addiction and other health problems.

Common sedatives include alcohol, benzodiazepines (such as Valium), and barbiturates (such as Seconal).

Hallucinogenic drug addiction

Hallucinogenic drugs are a group of substances that cause hallucinations. These can be found in plants, fungi and animals.

Hallucinogens may be taken orally (e.g., LSD), inhaled (e.g., PCP), or injected into the bloodstream (e.g., heroin).

A hallucinogenic drug may alter your perceptions, moods and thoughts for up to 24 hours after ingestion; however this period may be shorter if you eat it with other drugs or alcohol

Takeaway:

• The addict: A person who is addicted to drugs, alcohol or other substances.
• The family member: Someone who is close to the addict and who has suffered because of their drug use. This can include a spouse, children or parents.
• Society as a whole: What happens when one member of society starts using drugs and others start using them too? How does that affect their families? How does it impact their communities?

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many different types of addiction. However, all of them have the same root cause—the inability to manage or control your cravings. By understanding this, you will be better prepared to handle your addiction and avoid relapse.