Addiction Types
  • Alcohol Addiction Alcohol is a depressant, which slows your body down, making it difficult to think more clearly, interfering with communication between brain cells. Long-term heavy drinking is associated with numerous health problems, including liver cirrhosis, pancreatitis, and cancers of the liver, mouth, throat, larynx, and esophagus, and may lead to high blood pressure.
  • Barbiturates Addiction Legally prescribed for medical use, barbiturates are used for sedatives, hypnotics, anesthetics, and anticonvulsants. Users can develop a physical and psychological tolerance over time, making overdose a dangerous possibility. Street names include: Barbs; blue or red birds; reds, pinks, or blues; downers; red dolls; goofballs; rainbows; and tootsies.
  • Benzodiazepines Addiction Benzodiazepines are often used therapeutically to produce sedation, induce sleep, relieve anxiety and muscle spasms, and to prevent seizures. Continued use can lead to physical and psychological dependence and addiction. Users need to increase doses to achieve the desired effect, eventually finding themselves unable to sleep without them. Well known examples: Xantax, diazepam, Clonazepam, Lorazepam, and Valium Street Names: Benzos, downs, tranks
  • Cocaine Addiction Powerfully addictive, cocaine users feel euphoric, talkative and mentally alert. Long-term snorting may cause the nose cartilage to dissolve. Over time, ingestion of the drug can lead to paranoid psychosis and even death. Street Names: Blow, Coke, Aunt Nora, and Snow
  • Codeine Addiction Codeine is one of the most medically used narcotics in the world and is often abused for its opiate effects. Long-term use can cause the brain to stop endorphin production, high blood pressure, and liver damage and/or stomach ulcers. Street Names: Empirin and Tylenol with Codeine
  • Heroin Addiction The most abused and rapidly acting opiate available, heroin provides users with a sense of euphoria. Over time, users may develop collapsed veins, abscesses, liver disease, pulmonary complications or even death. Street Names: Smack, Brown Sugar, Black Tar. Forms: Crack, Powder
  • Hydrocodone (Vicodin) Addiction A weak opiate derived from codeine and typically combined with acetaminophen, hydrocodone is legally prescribed for pain relief and habit forming. Over time, vicodin causes the brain to slow and, in some cases, cease to produce endorphins, resulting in severe pain without it.
  • Inhalants Addiction Inhalants produce effects similar to alcohol. The substances used are found in common household products, such as glues, lighter fluid, cleaning fluids and paint products. Chronic use of inhalants has been associated with a number of serious health problems, including sometimes irreversible damage to the heart, lungs, liver and kidneys.
  • LSD Addiction The short-term effects of LSD are unpredictable and depend on the amount of the drug taken, the user’s personality, mood, expectations and surroundings. Over time, users may also develop long-lasting psychoses, such as schizophrenia or severe depression. Street Names: Acid, Dose, Hit, Tab, Trip, Yellow Sunshine, Boomer, Blotter, Cid
  • Marijuana Addiction Marijuana is the most commonly abused drug in the United States. Users may also experience pleasant sensations, colors and sounds, or sleepiness and/or depression. Users can also experience anxiety, fear, panic and distrust. Long-term use of marijuana can lead to respiratory problems, similar to those of tobacco smokers, including cancer of the respiratory tract and lungs. Marijuana smoke contains 50 to 70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than tobacco smoke. Street Names: Grass, Hemp, Joint, Loco Weed, Reefer, Roach, Pot, Herb, Dope.
  • MDMA (Ecstasy) Addiction MDMA is an illegal drug that produces an energizing effect, along with distortions in time and perception and enhanced enjoyment form tactile experiences. It also creates feelings of closeness, empathy, sexuality and reduced inhibitions. Ecstasy is addictive and can lead to long-term damage to neurons that are immediately related to mood, thinking and judgment. A study in nonhuman primates shows that exposure to MDMA for only 4 days caused damage to serotonin nerve terminals that was still evident 6 years later. Research has shown it to be unsafe for human consumption. Street names: Ecstasy, XTC, X, Adam, Clarity Lover’s Speed, The Hug Drug, E Forms: Tablet or Capsule taken orally.
  • Meth Addiction Methamphetamine is a highly addictive synthetic drug containing potent central nervous system stimulant properties. Long-term meth use can cause functional and molecular changes to the brain. Use can lead to violent behavior, anxiety, confusion and insomnia. Street names: Zip, Quartz, White Cross, Speed, Ice, Chalk, Meth, Crystal, Crank, Fire, Glass Forms: Pills, capsules, powder or chunks that can be ingested, snorted, injected or smoked. Physical effects: Increased heart rate, convulsions, extreme rise in body temperature (as high as a potentially fatal 108 degrees)
  • OxyContin Addiction Treatment (Oxycodone) Oxycodone is an opiate derived from morphine and is legally prescribed for pain relief. Users can suffer withdrawal symptoms when discontinuing alone. Supervised medical detox is a necessity.