There are many factors that can lead to addiction and the question ‘what causes drug abuse?’ is a vague one to say the least. There are many reasons why a person picks up a drug and then becomes addicted, some people can try a drug and decide to stop whenever they feel like it while others suffer terribly with the disease of addiction and will not be able to stop using drugs without professional help. There are many factors that lead to addiction, from biological factors to psychological factors all of which will help initiate a person onto the path of addiction and the disease of ‘more.’
Biologically, addiction can be genetic and if a family member has suffered from the disease of addiction there is more chance of it being passed down through the generations. If there is a known history of addiction in your family, all the more reason to stay away from alcohol and drugs, and this should be even more of a warning to you if you have witnessed said family member in the grips of active addiction. No one wants that life and it can be avoided.
The psychological factors are complicated and vary from person to person. No specific trauma can trigger addiction, but if a traumatic event does occur in an individual’s life (usually during early childhood) and drugs are picked up sometime in the future, then addiction is more likely to occur in said individual as the drugs (in the beginning) mask the trauma (and in the end, only magnify it.)
Social curiosity and low self esteem also play a part in addiction and the development of addiction. If an individual suffers from low self esteem (also linked to any other psychological disorders) and drugs are introduced to said individual, an overwhelming feeling of relief may come over them and they may feel this is the only way they can interact in society. This is obviously not true, however, if one has crippling low self esteem, this may seem the only way for them to escape the anxiety of it all which will only lead them down a path of self annihilation and in the end only magnify feelings of worthlessness. It is a never ending cycle of self abuse.
We could look at the horrific environment the person has grown up in, the peer pressure they experienced and the wreckage of their family life, this does all play a role in certain addicts, however it doesn’t exclude others who come from easy upbringings either. Anyone can carry the disease of addiction. It is about being vigilant, using caution and asking for help if you feel that you have even the smallest inkling of a problem with substance abuse. This isn’t about pride… it’s about saving your life. For more information on substance abuse and how to get help for it, click here.
It is never easy to determine what can cause substance abuse in a person. Each person is unique and so are all of their circumstances. However, in recent years scientific studies have shown that there is a possible link between genes and the propensity to substance abuse.
This means that genetically speaking, some people are predisposed to addiction. While your mother was pregnant, she might have been a drug or alcohol addict, or your father was, and this predisposes you to addiction.
Other says that your environment, growing up, has a huge impact on you. This might also make it easier for people to fall into the trap of addiction. However, there are people who grew up among drugs, who had parents who were drug addicts who never take up the habit.
This is in stark contrast to the evidence that’s been presented, which just means that choice also plays a factor. While you might be supposedly predisposed to addiction, you still have the choice of staying away from the drugs and not opening the door to addiction in the first place.
Many times drug addiction starts with simply one puff, one injection, one pill or one time of taking that drug. Many people are unaware of the strong pull of drugs, such as heroine that you only need to take once to become fully addicted to. It is because of this that experimentation can lead to severe dependency on drugs.
Another way how substance abuse can start is by experimenting with less severe drugs and then graduating to the more extreme drugs that will lead you down the dark and lonely road of addiction. In order for you to avoid this, you should just not open the door to drugs and addiction in your life at all in the first place.