Peer pressure is an important factor in starting to use and abuse drugs, especially among young people. Difficult family situations or lack of a bond with your parents or siblings can increase the risk of addiction, as can lack of parental supervision. The link between genetics and addiction remains a subject of strong debate. Reports have found that 40-60% of addiction predisposition is the result of genetics and, in addition, that children of people suffering from addiction are 25% more likely to develop addiction compared to children of non-addicted parents.
Researchers are actively searching for an addiction gene, but it seems more likely that family tendencies toward addiction are the result of environmental factors such as exposure and normalization of drug use. The parenting argument is also relevant to addiction. While genetic predisposition is possible, although not conclusively determined, the environment in which we grow up and in which we continue to thrive has a huge impact on mental and physical well-being and is therefore one of the main causes of addiction. So far we have discussed several genetic, environmental and social influences that may contribute to the causes of addiction, but we cannot ignore the role that the brain and body play in the disease of addiction.
Every time you eat, have sex, or participate in any activity that contributes to survival, your brain is flooded with dopamine. Both the cause of addiction and the development of mental health disorders can be affected by factors such as genetics, history of trauma and the environment. Etiology is the investigation of factors and influences over time that lead to the development of substance use disorders. Etiological research works to identify probable causes and correlates of drug use.
Multiple factors have been identified that contribute to the development of substance use disorder. However, no single factor, nor any set of factors, will affect all people in a similar way or fully explain drug use. Factors or variables that increase the likelihood of developing a substance use disorder. They are factors that increase the likelihood that an individual will develop a disease or vulnerability, which is a predisposition to a specific pathological process.
The degree of cumulative risk factors is related to overall susceptibility to substance use disorder. National Institute on Drug Abuse, 201 The Recovery Research Institute is a small donor-funded initiative. Your generosity makes our life-saving work possible. Learn more about the wide variety of evidence-based addiction treatment and recovery options available.
Broader social and environmental factors also play a role in the development and continuation of addiction. The most common roots of addiction are chronic stress, history of trauma, mental illness, and family history of addiction. Understanding how they can lead to chronic substance abuse and addiction will help you reduce your risk of becoming an addict. Here we will discuss addiction and its roots, and discuss practical ways in which you can reduce your risk of developing a drug or alcohol addiction.
