When we think of drug abuse, we often envision someone living in an alley trying to get their next fix. But what if we were to tell you that some of the most dangerous drugs are right over the counter at a local store, or more alarmingly, a simple trip to the doctor? We listed the top 10 worst drugs normal people are most addicted to. Starting with the most obvious drug of choice below. The other drugs on this list can also be addicting and cause problems if not used in moderation.
1. Cigarettes
To put it bluntly — cigarettes kill. A study published by the Washington revealed that within a group of 200,000 smokers, nearly 67% of them died from their habit.
2. Alcohol
Although alcohol acts as our social lubricant for after-hour hangouts, it’s highly addictive. Experts believe individuals that suffer from alcoholism can start seeing symptoms in as little as forty-eight hours.
3. Fat Burners
Getting into shape and burning unwanted fat is something we all want, right? But many of us fail to realize how dangerous over-the-counter fat burners really are. In fact, excessive usage of pills and stimulants can cause heart attack and stroke in certain instances. Tread with extreme caution!
4. Adderall
Adderall is commonly used by college students to maintain their ADHD and focus on work that needs to be completed. But when Adderall is consumed in large amounts, the nasty side of the drug comes into play. Racing thoughts, suicidal tendencies, extreme weight loss and irritability being to rear their heads.
5. Antidepressants
The scary part of these medications comes in what happens after they’ve been discontinued by the patient. Experts like Peter R. Breggin, MD believe that patients have a tendency to turn towards suicide and self harm.
6. Steroids
Although in some circumstances steroids are considered beneficial, excessive steroid usage can lead to numerous problems. Side effects such as elevated blood pressure, anger and irrational thinking are very common. If someone you know has this addiction, encourage them to seek help.
7. Caffeine
We’ve all used a cup of coffee to kick-start our day into productivity, but what if too much coffee could cause a problem? If you’ve experienced side effects such as clammy skin, mood fluctuations, lethargy and a foggy thought process, it may be time to cut back.
8. Pain Killers
On a serious note, painkiller abuse is one of the world’s leading problems. In fact, statistics reveal that nearly 12% of the U.S. population has an addiction to painkillers.
9. Cough Medicine
Using over-the-counter cough medicine as a means to hallucinate and disassociate from life is becoming common. Dextromethorphan, also known as DXM, can be consumed in high dosages to provide a “trippy” experience that rivals that of LSD and mushrooms.
10. Sleep Aids
For those of us that rely on popular sleeping medications like Ambien, our abuse may go unnoticed for years. In fact, the addictive nature of certain sleep aids can kick in as little as two weeks and cause a plethora of nasty side effects like confusion, body sweats, hallucinations and body spasms.
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