It's no surprise to anyone that we might be at risk of developing cancer, diabetes or heart disease at some point in our lifetime. And most of us are well aware of the risk factors that can tip the scales in getting any of these diseases, such as an unhealthy lifestyle, lack of exercise, smoking, and eating too much of the wrong kinds of food. But most of us often overlook our vulnerability to drug or alcohol addiction, and many don't even know what factors might contribute to addiction.
Certainly there are many factors that can increase the likelihood of developing an addiction, but the following seven factors are at the top of the list for increasing the chances of becoming addicted to drugs or alcohol.
Genetic Makeup
Genes can play a part in whether or not a person is susceptible to addiction. Researchers from the Universidad de Granada, Spain noted that alcoholics are 6 times as likely to have a relative that's an alcoholic than people without the same lineage. Because of this, it's important to be mindful of how genetics can increase the predisposition to developing an addiction.
Psychiatric and Psychological
Adolescents and adults with mental disorders also have a greater probability for addiction. Some of the mental health issues that can put a person at risk include obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders (ADHD), depression, anxiety and bipolar conditions. It’s important to note, that impulsivity and thrill seeking are two psychological factors that have been reported to have a much higher risk for drug use.
Gender
We know that female adolescents struggle with addictions more than males of the same age, but as they get older, men have more problems with addiction than women. Also, according to the CDC, 17% of men and 8% of women struggle with alcoholism, although the percentages for women have been increasing slightly in the past 30 years.
Home and Family Dysfunction
The likelihood of children using drugs and developing addictions increases significantly when they have family members abusing drugs and alcohol or engaging in criminal activity. These kinds of environments usually have a lack of close family attachments, as well poor parental supervision that contributes to addictive tendencies.
Strong Peer Pressure
It's most often friends and acquaintances that pressure and encourage a young person to experiment with drugs or alcohol for the first time. Depending on additional risk factors that the teen may have working against them, this experimentation can often quickly develop into addiction. No matter the upbringing, human nature dictates the stages of need that we all cycle through. Young children go through three stages of closeness with their parents: hold me tight, put me down, and leave me alone. During the teen years, these stages begin again with peer groups and depending on the group values, may include drug and alcohol use as a means of acceptance.
Early Use
Because a teen’s brain is still in the developmental stages, drugs and alcohol quickly affect the chemical balance causing the brain to become hard-wired for addiction much quicker than would happen with an adult. Because early use can be an indicator of continued use, the teenage years are often problematic if other risk factors are at play.
Type of Use
It's easier to become addicted to a drug much quicker if it is smoked or injected into the veins because it reaches the brain so quickly and with such powerful intensity. Scientists feel that since the "rush" fades quickly and takes the drug user to low or normal levels sooner, they are driven to continue using the drug repeatedly in an attempt to achieve the same high. This is why people can become addicted to heroin or crack cocaine in a very short amount of time.
Importance of Personal Assessment
Addiction is almost always preventable but determining the cause of addiction is complicated at best. The seven risk factors for addiction listed here are by no means the only ones, yet they are certainly the most predominant. By understanding and identifying the risks, many people can reduce their vulnerability and prevent addiction from happening before it ever has a chance to do it’s destruction.
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