The Most Common Types of Addiction: A Quick Guide

21 million individuals have at least one addiction in the United States. Left untreated, it can lead to relationship problems, mental health issues, and other health conditions.

Take alcohol, for example, it can affect your liver, pancreas, and heart. Not only that, but it can also increase your risk of certain cancers.

With the right plan and resources, however, addictions can be treated.

Do you know someone with a substance use disorder? Want to learn more about the different types of addiction?

Because that’s exactly what we’ll be going over in this post. Keep reading to learn more!

Alcohol Addiction 

Alcoholism is one of the most common examples of addiction; it occurs when an individual drinks excessively on a regular basis, despite its negative consequences. Over time, this can affect the brain’s neural pathways, which will affect the way it processes information.

Some common symptoms of alcoholism include an increased tolerance for alcohol, an inability to stop drinking, and an inability to control cravings. It can also lead to legal problems or professional problems (e.g. loss of a job).

While rehab can be challenging, there are treatment options that can help. For example, there are inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation programs that can help you achieve long-term recovery.

Opioid Addiction

Opioid addiction occurs when an individual becomes addicted to opioids, a class of drug that’s often prescribed to treat severe pain. It also includes illegal drugs such as heroin.

Highly addictive, these medications activate the reward centers in the brain, which trigger a temporary feeling of intense pleasure. As they continue to take the drug, however, physical tolerance can develop. In other words, they’ll need more of the drug to get the same effect and that can increase the chance of an overdose.

As it is, addiction treatment for opioids often involves detoxification, rehabilitation, and methadone maintenance. There are also medications (e.g. naltrexone implant) that block the effects of the drugs, which helps to reduce cravings.

Prescription Drug Addiction

Prescription drug abuse is the use of prescription medications in a manner that’s not intended by the prescribing doctor. For example, they might take larger doses than what’s recommended or use them in a different way than intended (e.g. crushing and snorting tablets).

Some of the most commonly abused drugs include stimulants, tranquilizers, sedatives, and antipsychotics.

If an individual continues to misuse these drugs, it can lead to addiction, which can result in serious health risks. In some cases, it can even result in a coma or death.

For those with these kinds of addiction, detoxification and tapering of the drug dose are often recommended. 

Understanding the Most Common Types of Addiction

As you can see, there are several types of addiction, all of which can affect your health in various ways. For those who are battling addiction, consider talking to your doctor about the different treatment options that are available.

Did you find this guide helpful? We have more articles like this in our health section. Check it out today!