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Opiates kill[1], and are used recreationally. Those are two big differences.

[1] SSRIs _can_, but rarely https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9786310

Opiates can kill if used wrong. And yes they are used recreational, the big problem occur when they are not used as prescribed.

SSRI apparently has a withdrawal problem even with proper usage

But SSRI's don't have as much of an abuse problem - there's not immediate feedback that makes you want to take more SSRI's - at best you feel "normal" and "numb in a different way" with a side order of sexual dysfunction. Nobody is going to street vendors for that.

Opiates have a withdrawal problem with proper usage (as a long term user of prescribed opiates, I am frequently warned of this).

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