Top Addictive Drugs

Stopdepressiontoday.com posted an article about the 18 most addicitve drugs in use around earth. According to the post

"In Health" magazine asked a team of experts to rank commonly used drugs by their potential for addiction. Two factors were used: how easily people become addicted, and how difficult it can be for people to quit. A score of 100 represents a high potential for addiction, 1 a low potential.

I won't reprint the whole list, but several of them are of interest- and from my experience are on target.

#18 Mescaline (16.72/100)

#14 Marijuana (21.16/100) Note that in spite of the low rating, marijuana can be highly addictive to a significant number of users. (And just as I started to write this, iTunes shuffled Bob Marley's By the Rivers of Babylon on the computer.)

#12 Caffeine (72.01/100)

#9 Heroin (81.80/100)

#8 Alcohol (81.85/100) Yes- more addictive than heroin!

#5 Valium (85.68/100) (I would say the general class of drugs- benzodiazepines, Valium's cousins etc. are really tough, and like alcohol can be deadly in withdrawal! Don't stop heavy, chronic use without medical support.)

#1 Nicotine (100/100) The "No-Surprise" #1 on the list. As one of the ads on TV for stopping says, "It's not just a habit; it's an addiction." Believe it. The tobacco companies know it and take every advantage they can.

Addiction is real. It is not "will-power" failing to work. It is deep in the brain's functioning. It hijacks some of the more primitive processes in your brain and won't let them go. Fortunately through various forms of therapy, counseling, and support it can be faced and overcome. Don't be afraid of doing something about it.

But with all mood-altering chemicals (including the low rated ones) watch out. You may not know what it will do to you. It's not worth it!