A question...

[ediblemitten]

So if a person were to be given a highly addictive substance (like cocaine, crack, heroin, etc.), but they ingested it without knowing it (say for example, it was slipped into their drink or something), and with zero knowledge of what they had ingested (they still experience the high fully), could they become addicted to it? This also assumes they have no way of identifying what drug they had taken, as they have been given descriptions of the high's effects before-hand, and have never ingested the drug, or any illicit drug, before.

This question has been stumping me for a while now.

 

[Marter]

Only taking it one time? I doubt they'd become addicted. If it constantly happens though, that's when it could become a problem.

 

[BonsaiK]

No. Contrary to popular belief, hard drugs take months of daily use before you get addicted.

 

[Scolar Visari]

So if a person were to be given a highly addictive substance (like cocaine, crack, heroin, etc.), but they ingested it without knowing it (say for example, it was slipped into their drink or something), and with zero knowledge of what they had ingested (they still experience the high fully), could they become addicted to it? This also assumes they have no way of identifying what drug they had taken, as they have been given descriptions of the high's effects before-hand, and have never ingested the drug, or any illicit drug, before.

This question has been stumping me for a while now.

Possibly... Addiction isn't just mental, it's also a physical need for the substance. Some substances are highly addictive...

 

[Dirkie]

No. Contrary to popular belief, hard drugs take months of daily use before you get addicted.

Contrary to that belief, there are drugs that are mentally addictive after just *one* use. Physically addicitve drugs take a little longer, like 3 uses or more.
But thats information i got from police reports dealing with drug trade and people who worked with addicts.

 

[MrStab]

Well that would depend on the person and the drug some drugs rely on a mental addiction, some a physical and some a combination of both also some people are more suceptible to addictions than others but again it would depend on the drug in question but generally speaking no.

 

[BonsaiK]

No. Contrary to popular belief, hard drugs take months of daily use before you get addicted.

Contrary to that belief, there are drugs that are mentally addictive after just *one* use. Physically addicitve drugs take a little longer, like 3 uses or more.
But thats information i got from police reports dealing with drug trade and people who worked with addicts.

Anything can be "mentally addictive" after one use, including TV, computer games, porn, chocolate, poker machines, exercise, energy drinks, Facebook games, sunbathing... you name it. Depends on the individial. Some people can do the hardest drugs once every few weeks or months and it's no big deal, and then quit them like it's equally no big deal, others get addicted to all manner of things after only one try.

Physical addiction takes a lot longer, not just a few more tries. When people get addicted quick, it's because the mental addiction tides them over until the physical addiction kicks in. Whether people experience that or not depends on how much of an addictive personality they have.

 

[ediblemitten]

I should clarify, as this is a hypothetical scenario, this drug hooks in one use. I was just wondering if anyone has any insight into whether you can be addicted to something you don't even know.

 

[Rayne870]

So if a person were to be given a highly addictive substance (like cocaine, crack, heroin, etc.), but they ingested it without knowing it (say for example, it was slipped into their drink or something), and with zero knowledge of what they had ingested (they still experience the high fully), could they become addicted to it? This also assumes they have no way of identifying what drug they had taken, as they have been given descriptions of the high's effects before-hand, and have never ingested the drug, or any illicit drug, before.

This question has been stumping me for a while now.

There are chemical dependencies that develop so those would still apply. The mental addictions however would probably be dependent on knowing that something was ingested, otherwise the person could chalk it up to simply feeling sick and most likely not want to feel that way. If you think about it hallucinations, loss of body control, out of body experiences, numbness and so many other countless effects of drugs would not be pleasant if they happened without knowing it was a result of a conscious decision, it would probably be quite alarming.

 

[Tulks]

I should clarify, as this is a hypothetical scenario, this drug hooks in one use. I was just wondering if anyone has any insight into whether you can be addicted to something you don't even know.

Yes. The majority of Westerners are unknowingly addicted to caffeine.

 

[New Troll]

You will NOT get addicted to the "unknown" but you just might get addicted to the situation. Since you have no idea what is causing your impulsions, you're going to go with the most logical (i.e. simplist) conclusions.

Example: Say someone's been placing acid in your eye at midnight while you sleep. You are not going to become addicted to the acid, but you might become addicted to being asleep at midnight, if not 24/7.

 

[Kpt._Rob]

So if a person were to be given a highly addictive substance (like cocaine, crack, heroin, etc.), but they ingested it without knowing it (say for example, it was slipped into their drink or something), and with zero knowledge of what they had ingested (they still experience the high fully), could they become addicted to it? This also assumes they have no way of identifying what drug they had taken, as they have been given descriptions of the high's effects before-hand, and have never ingested the drug, or any illicit drug, before.

This question has been stumping me for a while now.

Possibly... Addiction isn't just mental, it's also a physical need for the substance. Some substances are highly addictive...

No substance anywhere is that addictive. There are a number of factors which play into the formation of an addiction, but the most important factor is generally habituation. While it is true that some substances can produce a physical dependance, this happens exclusively in the case of a substance which has been taken many times.

For someone who is in an extremely vulnerable mental state, it is vaguely possible that a psychological addiction could be formed after just one use, however for a psychological addiction to form the person has to know they took the substance in the first place. So regardless of the drug, if the person was covertly dosed, had no idea what they had taken or how they might get more, then getting addicted would be all but impossible.

 

[legion431]

How would you become addicted to something you don't know about.

 

[B_Diddy_M]

Well a lot of what has been said here is true and false so I'll throw in what I was taught about it.

(I'm studying Psychology so I had to take a lot of courses on this in case you were wondering why you should believe me)

Without knowledge of what the substance is, you won't become addicted to it specifically. Depending on the person, you *could* become addicted to the effects of the drugs after the first use. It really depends on the person though. For some people, it does take prolonged use of a "hard" drug to become addicted but people who have a family history of addiction or simply are so low in their emotions that the high is the most amazing thing in the world, they CAN become addicted after the initial intake. In your scenario however, the person wouldn't know what caused the high. More than likely, they would drink whatever they were drinking (that someone slipped the drug into) that caused the high.

That being said, some people really can just get high once and never do it again. Psychologically, people who are experiencing depression or some sort of mood altering disorder will become addicted much faster than normal. The risky part in your case is that the person would have no idea how they got high. If they *did* become addicted after the first go, they would obsess about it until they got whatever it is that caused them to become high.

You have to keep in mind there is Psychological and Physical forms of addiction. Physically, it's not likely you would become addicted. Your body would not create a dependence on it *that* quickly normally and the chemicals wouldn't be thrown out of whack that quick. Psychologically it is very possible. But as with everything, there are exceptions.

To answer your question in the most summarized way I can think of:
Yes, it is possible to become addicted to the substance after that first taste. If the person did not know what the drug was, they would attempt to find whatever it was that caused the high. They would probably start with the drink and keep going further and further until they knew how to get the high. You CAN become addicted after the very first encounter with it but it's mostly a psychological addiction. Genetically, if you have a family history of addiction, you could become Physically addicted on the first encounter as well. It depends on the person but I believe the average person would NOT form the addiction. It IS possible, but unlikely.

 

[BonsaiK]

I should clarify, as this is a hypothetical scenario, this drug hooks in one use. I was just wondering if anyone has any insight into whether you can be addicted to something you don't even know.

Then in that (blatantly impossible) hypothetical, the answer's no. And even if it was yes, with no way of finding out what the substance is, it doesn't matter anyway.

 

[New Troll]

Yes, it is possible to become addicted to the substance after that first taste. If the person did not know what the drug was, they would attempt to find whatever it was that caused the high. They would probably start with the drink and keep going further and further until they knew how to get the high. You CAN become addicted after the very first encounter with it but it's mostly a psychological addiction. Genetically, if you have a family history of addiction, you could become Physically addicted on the first encounter as well. It depends on the person but I believe the average person would NOT form the addiction. It IS possible, but unlikely.

You cannot become addicted to an experience you cannot duplicate. You might think about it, possibly even constantly, but there is no addiction. Just desire.

You can not get addicted to an unknown variable. Just possibly either the equation with said variable within it or a known variable constantly within said equation.

 

[B_Diddy_M]

Yes, it is possible to become addicted to the substance after that first taste. If the person did not know what the drug was, they would attempt to find whatever it was that caused the high. They would probably start with the drink and keep going further and further until they knew how to get the high. You CAN become addicted after the very first encounter with it but it's mostly a psychological addiction. Genetically, if you have a family history of addiction, you could become Physically addicted on the first encounter as well. It depends on the person but I believe the average person would NOT form the addiction. It IS possible, but unlikely.

You cannot become addicted to an experience you cannot duplicate. You might think about it, possibly even constantly, but there is no addiction. Just desire.

You can not get addicted to an unknown variable. Just possibly either the equation with said variable within it or a known variable constantly within said equation.

You can become addicted to the high you experience. You would not be be addicted to the "unknown" substance but you could become addicted to the high which in turn would make you want to replicate the situation. For some people (although it is NOT the majority) they will become obsessive and only try to recreate the high. They will focus on and strife to do nothing but achieve that high. Granted, as I stated before, it is highly unlikely but can happen. I do partially agree with you though- it is mostly desire. But that constant thinking *is* a minor form of addiction. If you're addicted to something, then the absence of it causes a disturbance in your life. Normally, it's withdrawal symptoms that note addiction but with minor addiction, obsession is an addictive symptom. If they don't get the high again, they'll move on but that's because they are taken off of it.

 

[bl4ckh4wk64]

Yes, it's not whether you actually feel it and know about it yourself, your brain might start to crave it, and you will mistake it for some other random thing and continue to use those other things in the hopes of reattaining your high.