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According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, about 15 million American adults have an alcohol use disorder (AUD). About 20% of Americans with an alcohol use disorder are also high-functioning alcoholics. Functioning alcoholism is not an official medical diagnosis. It is an informal term used to describe a person suffering from alcohol abuse and dependency but is still able to function in their daily life. Functioning alcoholics may drink too much and may drink too often, but they keep up an appearance of being under control without any noticeable negative impact on everyday life.

Cocaine is an additive stimulant substance that is derived from the cocoa plant and affects the brain’s dopamine system by stimulating the varying types of stimuli such as sex, food and drugs. The drug works by blocking the dopamine transporter protein, which leads to increased dopamine levels in the brain where the “feel good” sensation is amplified.

Alcoholism and alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a difficult mental health condition to overcome. It can impact the body physically and mentally with lasting damage. It is a chronic and progressive brain disorder in which users misuse alcohol in an attempt to aid in temporary relief from unpleasant feelings. For some who have had severe cases of alcohol use disorder or have been abusing alcohol for a very long time, changing old habits and developing new healthy ones can be difficult. Sometimes, people can develop symptoms of dry drunk.

Opioids have been at the forefront of the overdose drug crisis for the last few decades. It has become a public health epidemic in which prescription opioids as well as illicit opioids have led to more overdose and deaths than any other disease in recent history. Heroin, an illicit opioid drug, is one of the most addictive substances. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, in 2021, an estimated 1 million Americans aged 12 or older reported having a heroin use disorder in the last year. In the same year, about 9,173 Americans aged 12 or older reportedly died from a heroin overdose.

Vicodin is a popular prescription medication often used to treat moderate to severe pain. Vicodin contains the over-the-counter ingredient acetaminophen and the opioid hydrocodone. This medication is so commonly prescribed because of its ability to treat a wide range of conditions including arthritis pain, side effects of cancer and sometimes persistent coughing.

So what is the most dangerous drug? This is a subjective question. All drugs, whether they are prescription, over-the-counter, legal or illicit, can be dangerous. This is especially true for the latter. Some argue that alcohol is the most dangerous drug due to its widespread availability. Others believe nicotine/tobacco to be the most dangerous drug due to its extreme popularity. And some believe synthetic opioids have now surpassed others in ranking as the number one most dangerous drug due to the decades-long opioid overdose crisis. 

Anxiety disorder is one of the most common mental health disorders that affects about 19.1% of American adults. Anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, phobia-related disorders and social anxiety disorder. Buspirone is a popular anxiolytic treatment used to treat symptoms of various anxiety disorders and help users relax, decrease feelings of stress and worry and think more clearly. Buspar is a popular brand name for the buspirone medication. It has since been discontinued. However, many people still often refer to the generic buspirone medication as Buspar.

Muscle relaxants are prescription medications commonly used to treat acute and chronic back pain. Back pain conditions such as muscle spasms, spasticity and musculoskeletal pain rank in one of the top five reasons why many people seek out medical care. According to a published study from the National Library of Medicine, low back pain continues to rank among the top five reasons for doctor visits in the United States. A combination of physical therapy and prescription muscle relaxers is usually the first line of treatment and standard of care when it comes to treating back pain.

Overdose. Overdose is defined as taking more than the recommended amount of a medicine or drug. A drug overdose happens when a person takes too much of a drug or a combination of drugs, leading to damage or even fatality. For decades now the U.S. has been plagued with a drug overdose epidemic. And more recently, from 2019-2020, the U.S. experienced an estimated 31% increase in overdose-related deaths. According to the National Institute of Health, over 900,000 people have died from overdose deaths in 2020.

Gabapentin is fast becoming one of the most prescribed medications in the U.S. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, gabapentin prescription rates have almost doubled from 2011 to 2017. In 2021, GoodRx reported that gabapentin was the 6th most prescribed medication drug in the nation. Gabapentin is a medication used to treat epilepsy and pain related to nerve damage, also known as neuropathy. Because it is becoming so popular, research is also finding more and more people are reportedly abusing the drug and developing dependence and addiction.