Addiction is defined as a person’s inability to stop using a substance or engaging in a habit despite negative health and social effects. Doctors now classify addiction as a type of substance abuse disorder.
While anyone can develop a substance use disorder, certain personal and physiological characteristics can enhance the likelihood of being addicted.
The most obvious risk factor is using an illicit or mood-altering substance, but a complicated web of risk factors can cause addiction. Many of the chemicals that cause addiction aren’t chemically addictive, which means that other factors can contribute to substance abuse problems.
Factors that are at risk
The following things can make you more vulnerable.
- Addiction Help from a Reliable Source.
- Family history:A person’s genes have a crucial part in addiction, accounting for 40-60% of the chance of becoming addicted. Researchers are investigating the link between genetics and addiction.
- Family life:Having a healthy family environment as a child is critical for lowering the chance of addiction later in life. Being exposed to drug-using authority figures and family members increases the risk of acquiring a substance use disorder later.
- Peers and school life: Throughout a person’s adolescent years, the rising influence of friends and peers can substantially impact whether or not they use drugs.
- Many people who have no additional risk factors experiment with drugs to connect with a peer group for the first time. Children and teenagers who have difficulty with schooling or feel socially alienated are more likely to use drugs and develop a substance use disorder.
- When a person first starts using drugs, they are: The earlier someone starts using a mood-altering substance, the more likely they are to develop a substance abuse disorder.
- The delivery method:How a person takes a substance can impact the development of an addiction. Smoking and injecting narcotics causes the brain to recognise the effect in seconds, but the rush is short-lived. These rapid changes in sensation can cause people to use drugs again to relive the euphoria they previously felt.
- The nature of the substance:Certain substances, such as nicotine, crack, or heroin, contain specific chemicals or activate receptors in the body that cause addictive reactions—for some people, merely using a chemical once may be enough to set off a chain of events that leads to addiction.
- Stress:When a person’s stress levels are high, they are more likely to turn to a substance like alcohol or marijuana to relieve it.
- Metabolism:A person’s ability to absorb and digest chemicals can influence how a drug affects their body and the sensations they experience. Variations in metabolism, for example, can cause a drug’s duration of effect to last longer or shorter.
Tolerance can develop due to this, and the person may need to take a greater dose or take it more frequently to attain the same results. Addiction is more likely as a result of this.
Why do people put themselves in danger of becoming addicted?
While several risk factors might contribute to addiction, the first use of an addictive substance or involvement in a potentially addictive behaviour usually occurs after the first experience.
Some practise that might lead to addiction, such as gambling, may not appear to be dangerous at first and may even bring advantages in moderation.
There are several basic reasons people may wish to use a mood-altering chemical or engage in a dangerous activity.
Feeling good: Many substances provide euphoria, a strong physical sensation or experience, or a stimulant effect that gives you a sense of power and confidence.
Many potentially addictive actions, such as sexual pleasure or financial rewards from gambling, may also have mood-enhancing effects. Even receiving a social media notification or message can cause a surge of feel-good hormones in the brain, fueling addiction-like symptoms related to smartphone use.
People who suffer from depression, social anxiety, or stress may use substances or activities as a coping method to alleviate their unhappiness or stress. Stressful conditions can inspire people to continue using substances and lead to relapse in drug usage, even after completing successful addiction treatment.
To boost performance: Stimulants are used by certain people to improve their athletic, intellectual, creative, and professional performance. While there may be short-term gains, the long-term hazards are significantly greater.
Using performance-enhancing drugs in situations where a governing body monitors for them, such as competitive sports, can result in a lifetime ban from the sport, for example.
Curiosity: Teenagers are prone to trying substances simply because they have never tried them before. Because the brain region responsible for decision-making is still maturing during a person’s adolescence, young individuals are at an even higher risk of succumbing to peer pressure.