5 Ways You May Be Predisposed for Addiction

Last updated on June 7th, 2024 at 01:12 pm

Not everyone who abuses alcohol and drugs gets addicted. However, addiction does not discriminate; it can affect people of all ages, intelligence levels, and backgrounds. However, certain factors may increase a person’s risk of becoming addicted to substances or behaviors. So, what things make someone more likely to develop an addiction? The article will answer this question by outlining five ways someone may be predisposed to addiction.

1. Genetics

Genetics is a broad term used to refer to the genes inherited from parents to children over generations. Genetics plays a crucial role in the risk of developing addiction. For instance, it is highly likely for individuals who come from a family with a history of addiction to get addicted as compared to those who do not. Additionally, some types of genes can make individuals more susceptible to substance abuse or behaviors that impact how their bodies react to alcohol and drugs. The same case applies when people try to get off drugs; their bodies will respond differently. There are times when withdrawal cases have been fatal. Therefore, the best way to manage them is to enroll in reputable addiction treatment centers and seek help from professionals.

2. Mental Health Issues

As people go through different phases in life, they have to deal with the grind of daily life and social pressure, which can be overwhelming. The situation is worse for people dealing with mental health issues. They often experience anxiety, trauma, or depression, which increases the risk of addiction. That is because individuals dealing with such emotional or psychological pain use substances as a way to cope. However, drugs only offer temporary relief, which leads to them taking more, and that leads to a cycle of dependency. Over time, this cycle ends up worsening their mental health issues.

3. Early Exposure

Though often overlooked, early exposure to substances and addictive behavior puts an individual at risk of getting addicted later in life. This happens because when children get exposed to this behavior at an early age, either in their homes or community, they are likely to get decentralized to the dangers. Therefore, they view the taking substance as a way of life. If the substance they abuse affects them in any way, then they will likely turn to drugs as a coping mechanism, increasing their risk of addiction in adulthood.

4. Low Dopamine

Despite the various discussions on ways people can prevent or get out of addiction, not many people know about dopamine. Yet, this is one of the things that can make them predisposed to the condition. Dopamine is a type of neurotransmitter and hormone that gives individuals a feeling of pleasure, satisfaction, and motivation. Low levels of dopamine are susceptible to substance abuse because drugs and alcohol cause an abnormally large surge in dopamine levels. That, in turn, activates the pleasure response.

5. Stressful Events

In many phases of life, individuals have to deal with stressors. Although they usually overcome the stress in most cases, the situation can be too painful to bear at times, thus creating emotional turmoil. As a way to cope with the emotions or escape their reality, some people opt to turn to substances or addictive behaviors to numb their feelings. If they do not manage to overcome the emotional pain and they keep on turning to drugs or alcohol, there is a high chance that they will get addicted.

When it comes to addiction, it is prudent for individuals to understand that people get this condition for various reasons. Addiction is a multifaceted issue, and there is no single way to deal with the problem. That is why those struggling with addiction need to seek help from professionals who will talk and listen to their needs and guide them on the best way to get out of the loop.