What are the Most Dangerous Addiction Syndromes?
Nearly any drug that is abused for its unintended side effects is dangerous. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Most drugs of abuse can alter a person’s thinking and judgment, leading to health risks, including addiction, drugged driving, and infectious disease.” While some drugs do cause more dangerous side effects than others, it is always problematic for someone to become addicted to a drug, no matter what type, as this path can lead to many serious issues in a person’s life.
Dangerous Addiction Syndromes By Health Effects
Despite its legality, alcohol has one of the most dangerous addiction syndromes.
Certain drugs, such as heroin, crack, and methamphetamine, are known to be extremely dangerous because of the effect they can cause on a person’s health. All three can cause deadly overdose syndromes, and each can create long-term problems when abused frequently. Also, drugs like PCP and methamphetamine can cause frightening behavior that endangers the individual and others around them. Even alcohol, a legal substance, can cause deadly overdose or a withdrawal syndrome so serious, an individual will require 24-hour surveillance and possibly sedation while going through it.
These dangers are important to mention, but it does not mean other drugs, which do not cause these types of severe health effects, are safer or should be taken instead. Many substances create health effects that, while not as alarming as those mentioned above, can still become incredibly dangerous to the individual. For example, consistent abuse of marijuana (especially when the drug is used every day) can lead to mental health problems and frequent respiratory infections.
Dangerous Addiction Syndromes By Life Consequences
Unfortunately, any drug of abuse that causes an addiction syndrome can create problems in one’s personal and professional life that are sometimes irrevocable. Whether a person abuses heroin or alcohol, they can still become addicted enough to lose their job, get expelled from school, lose important relationships in their lives, or even get arrested.
Addiction is always a serious and dangerous consequence of drug abuse, no matter what substance an individual is using. According to the NIDA, “Although the initial decision to take drugs is voluntary for most people, the brain changes that occur over time challenge an addicted person’s self-control and hamper his or her ability to resist intense impulses to take drugs.” Any substance that causes these effects has the potential to create serious problems in the life of the abuser, especially once they become addicted.
Which Addictions are the Hardest to Treat?
The severity of an addiction, not necessarily the substance of choice, will determine how difficult treatment is.
So Which Addiction Syndromes Are the Most Dangerous?
All addiction syndromes are dangerous. Some can come on more quickly, like heroin and crack addiction, due to both the drug itself and the method of use, which makes these substances very harmful to the user. While some may occur slower, like alcohol or marijuana addiction, anyone who gets hooked on these substances will still encounter many of the same problems. Any time a person becomes addicted to a substance, they put themselves in a dangerous situation where they can no longer control their actions, and this should always be taken into account when considering the seriousness of substance abuse disorders.
If you have more questions about addiction or want to find a treatment center in your area, call 888-647-0051 (Who Answers?) .
