You may not know it, but you may be using a gateway drug that can lead to addiction. A gateway drug is the introductory, habit-forming drug leading to more severe drug use in the future. Here is a list of gateway drugs commonly used by plenty of people.
1. Nicotine: Legal, But Dangerous
Nicotine is a chemical found in tobacco and used as a stimulant. Worldwide, 80 percent of tobacco users are from low to middle-income countries. When you start smoking, you can feel dizzy and nauseous.
As you continue your intake of nicotine, though, your body starts building a tolerance. The nicotine reaches your bloodstream, veins, then to the brain. How does this lead to addiction, though?
Once you inhale nicotine, it reaches your brain in 10 seconds. You’ll begin to want to continue the enjoyable feeling coming from smoking or vaping. It becomes a cycle making it harder to quit.
Smoking nicotine is acceptable, especially when using vapes or e-cigarettes involving vaporized tobacco. About two out of three smokers try to quit, but end up leaving halfway through therapy. To stop your addiction, you have to start understanding the causes.
2. Alcohol: Most Consumed Drug
During this pandemic, alcohol sales have increased by 54 percent compared to last year. Most people started drinking first before any other gateway drug. The most common are wine, beer, and various types of liquor.
Similar to nicotine, alcohol is legal and accepted in many countries. However, this gateway drug is the starting point for many people becoming drug addicts. The reason is that it can make people feel good by interacting with your natural opioids.
It affects your brain chemistry and function, which plays a big part in making alcohol addictive. Alcoholics may transition to other gateway drugs due to excessive drinking. It can occur while you’re drunk or an extension of adding enjoyment and relief.
3. Marijuana: Most Common Gateway Drug
Marijuana is a psychoactive gateway drug that alters your perception. It has a public image of being a soft drug or herbal drug, which means it’s not an addictive drug. However, some people like the feeling they get when they take marijuana leading to addiction.
You can feel the effects of feeling happy, getting hallucinations, and reduced anxiety. Once you build a tolerance, though, dependence can form. Taking that first puff of a joint may be the first step in becoming a drug addict.
A few hours after you stop, you can feel the effects of reducing a function like your mood. This means you can feel depressed or irritated when you don’t take marijuana. Using marijuana can lead to you trying out cocaine, methamphetamine, or prescribed opioids.
Gateway Drugs Lead to Addiction
Note that using gateway drugs does not guarantee that you will wind up as a drug addict. Take the time to know the effects and risks of these drugs. Make sure you talk with your friends and family about your problems to lessen the risk of getting addicted.
Stay safe, and we hope you enjoyed reading this article! Share this knowledge with your friends and family. Don’t forget to check out our posts for more helpful guides.