Drug Addiction

Cocaine is the most commonly abused illegal drug in the United States.  And just like with alcohol addictions, Covid-19 has not helped the situation.  Moreover, the spillover of Hollywood Blvd.’s lacing cocaine with Fentanyl can create a wholly different euphoria and addictive tendency with cocaine. In a country where heart disease is the biggest killer, this central nervous system stimulant is very dangerous. It causes an increase in heart rate and blood pressure and leads to inflammation of the heart muscle over time.

In addition to these physical risks, cocaine leads to huge releases of dopamine that deplete the body’s natural stores and promote mental illness. While some people see it as a harmless bit of fun and an easy way to carry on drinking for longer, the long-term health risks are very serious and shouldn’t be ignored. In recent years, dealers have been cutting cocaine with fentanyl, making it even more addictive and deadly.

Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine, and it provides drug abusers with a short and intense high. The way it’s administered means there’s a higher risk of dental disease and tooth loss, and it’s significantly more addictive due to releasing even greater quantities of neurotransmitters than cocaine.

Fentanyl is one of the most powerful opiate synthetic drugs, with effects that are 80 to 100 times more powerful than morphine. It came to LA Valley over a decade ago and will be here for decades to come.  A lethal dose of fentanyl is a tiny fraction of that of heroin, and many dealers are cutting other drugs with the substance to increase its addictiveness and increase margins. It’s believed to play a major role in the current opioid epidemic, which sees hundreds die every day from opiate-related causes.  Don’t become a statistic with Fentanyl addiction – you can overcome it!

Heroin is one of the most dangerous substances, and it has an especially dark reputation. When you’re involved with this drug your life will be turned upside down, because not only are there physical consequences to using heroin, but also psychological ones.  The causes and effects on your mind, body and spirit will take over control of your life – period.  

As such, it’s often difficult for someone who’s fallen into heroin abuse to see themselves as worthy of change. However, a substance use disorder isn’t something anyone would choose, and most people who use heroin have experienced extreme trauma or have underlying mental health conditions. It’s a medical disorder, and professional help from Spark to Recovery is available if you’re struggling with it.

Crystal meth is one of the most addictive and potent stimulant drugs, leading to a huge influx of neurotransmitters that creates a long-lasting high of up to 16 hours. It stimulates the CNS and decreases the appetite, leading to long bouts of activity followed by an unbearable comedown. The comedown is the result of the depletion of chemicals in your brain that are essential for you to function.

When a person uses crystal meth, their brain releases huge quantities of neurotransmitters at once. The body struggles to produce enough so that when the drug wears off and withdrawal sets in, there’s still some left-over chemical craving for more even after hours without it!  

Serious mental illness, tooth loss, risky sexual behavior, heart disease and lung disease are some common complications of meth abuse.

Opiates are derived from the opium poppy and have potent pain-killing properties. The United States has declared an epidemic of opiate abuse, largely due to irresponsible advice from pharmaceutical companies in the 1990s. By 2017, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services had announced a public health emergency surrounding the crisis and created steps to combat it. That emergency still stands today. Some of the most overused and addictive opioids include:

• Hydromorphone
• Vicodin
• Oxycodone
• Hydrocodone
• Fentanyl
• Morphine sulfate

Amphetamines can be legal or illegal. They’re prescribed for ADHD and extreme cases of obesity and speed up the connections in your brain by stimulating the CNS. They can improve focus, confidence and sociability and increase energy. Some commonly abused amphetamines include:

• Adderall
• Ritalin
• Focalin
• Concerta

Benzodiazepines are prescribed as sleeping aids and medication for anxiety disorders for short-term use only. While they’re highly effective as medications for these outcomes, recurrent substance abuse is highly likely. This is because the body quickly builds a tolerance to them, meaning you need to take more. And if you stop taking them, your brain is no longer used to producing the chemicals that induce sleep and ease anxiety by itself. As such, getting to sleep and self-soothing after feelings of anxiety becomes more difficult, so continued substance abuse can seem like a viable solution to many people.

Some examples of benzodiazepines include:

• Diazepam
• Alprazolam
• Clonazepam
• Lorazepam