The Most Addictive Drug on Earth

Have you ever wondered what the most addictive drug is?

Benzodiazepines

These days getting your hands on benzodiazepines like Xanax, Valum and Klonopin is relatively easy given how frequently they are used to treat anxiety, sleep issues and even muscle spasms. They are definitely effective in their ability to ease panic attacks, help you get a good night's sleep and to make your muscles feel like jello. You can thank the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) for the way it responds to benzodiazepines calming effects for that.

You're probably thinking to yourself, "Hey, all of this sounds great! What's your beef with benzos?" While we agree that relief from those issues is indeed a positive thing, it's important to note that these medications are typically meant to be used for brief periods of time because they have been found to be quite addictive over time. The risk of developing a dependency to benzodiazepines increases greatly the longer they are used, too, given the ease at which a tolerance is built.

Methamphetamines

This probably goes without saying, but we're going to say it anyway! Methamphetamine is high on the list of the most addictive drugs, which is pretty darn scary when you consider how easy it is to manufacture. Meth is a tricky snake of a drug in the way it slithers into the user's brain and manages to mimic the dopamine that is naturally produced and tricks it into pumping out more even if it's not quite ready to.

This rush of feel good chemicals makes your brain and body feel pretty great. That feeling doesn't last forever, though. In fact, you're brain gets depleted of these neurotransmitters rather quickly and begins to want more and more, which tends to propel the user to reach for the meth again in an attempt to satisfy your brain's needs. Unfortunately, the neurotransmitter game that is being played up there tends to lead to a rampant addiction to methamphetamine because the itch can never be scratched enough or for long.

Crack Cocaine

In the words of the late, great Whitney Houston, crack is whack! Yep, crack cocaine is also noted as one of the most addictive drugs circulating the streets these days. Sure, crack isn't as widely used as it was in the '80's and '90's, but that doesn't negate the high risk of dependency that accompanies it.

One of the main reasons crack is said to be so addictive is because it is significantly less pure than its sibling, cocaine. It is this level of impurity and the added substances mixed, like baking soda, that makes it easy for users to smoke at a faster pace. The high with this drug is short and that means more of it is used. Crack cocaine users can easily become addicts in no time as a result.

Methadone

The twist of irony that accompanies the fact that a drug used to treat addiction to drugs like morphine and heroin, is a pretty bitter pill to swallow. Methadone is often distributed through clinics employees personnel who are knowledgeable, which helps to keep those it's being administered to out of the danger zone.

However, not everyone is under such intense scrutiny nor are they taking the medication as it is intended. As with many controlled substances that are highly addictive, use can quickly turn to abuse before anyone is the wiser because the effects of methadone are very similar to those experienced with heroin.

Heroin

We write lot about the heroin epidemic that is sweeping through the country because it's nearly impossible not to stumble upon new stories each day. There's no arguing the overwhelming nature of the beast that is heroin and its accompanying addiction. Many heroin users start off using prescription opiates as a means to curb severe pain or as a way to cop a quick buzz. Prescription opiates can be expensive and aren't super easy to get these days due to their addictive nature. Well, an addict has to get their fix somehow, right?

Enter heroin, the cheaper, easier to come by and significantly more dangerous cousin of prescription opiates. The brain responds to this drug in an incredibly intense way because it hits all of the sweet spots with its ability to act like an endorphine, ease pain and hit pleasure receptors just right. The brain ends up powerless to control its "need" for heroin and addictive almost always follows, leaving a wake of death and despair in its wake.

In Conclusion...

Every person's brain chemistry is different. A drug that is euphoric for one person is a demon to another. Similarly, a drug that is highly addictive for one may be a turn-off for another. All of these drugs discussed above are highly dangerous and addictive. So, pick your poison. Or better yet...don't.