Drug use is an increasingly widespread problem worldwide, and its consequences cause numerous problems for people on a physical, psychological and social level.
Therefore, the first step when fighting drug addiction is to know its causes. In this article we will see 14 causes of drug addiction that have been shown to be common ; They range from social and family influences to the performance of neurotransmitters and genetics.
Of course, both the beginning of drug addiction habits and their maintenance do not appear spontaneously or randomly, but rather They are the response or the result of a series of previous situations that predispose to it
However, it is necessary to specify that each person is totally different when it comes to facing these situations, and that experiencing them does not necessarily have to end with a drug addiction habit. Even in those causes of genetic origin, the person must be influenced by many other factors that predispose him to it.
This means that drug addiction does not have a single cause. Although there are numerous elements that influence its appearance, Two or more of these must appear together for the person to decide to start using drugs recurrently.
Most common causes of drug addiction
Among the most common causes of drug addiction we find the following.
After numerous investigations it has been concluded that Curiosity is one of the main causes of drug addiction behaviors
This factor occurs especially in the younger population, who begin using drugs influenced by the information received from the environment or the media.
2. Traumatic experiences
Although not all people who have experienced a traumatic experience or one with a high emotional content develop drug addiction behaviors or habits, many others find in drugs an escape route that helps them cope with certain especially complicated situations.
The objective of these behaviors is to forget certain memories that torture the person’s mind and thus distract the intellect so as not to have to face them. In this way, many people decide to experiment with drugs to achieve a state of relaxation or daze.
3. Stress relief
This point is closely related to the previous one. Those people whose pace of life involves great pressure or stress Whether at work, family or social level, they may find in drugs a way to relax and relieve this tension, even if only for a few moments.
Nevertheless, the addiction itself will generate more and more tension between one use and another so the person will need more and more doses and will do so more and more recurrently.
4. Improve performance
In certain areas such as sports or academics, it is common for some people They resort to the consumption of some type of narcotic substance to try to improve their performance
What these people ignore or think they can avoid is that even if the drug is only consumed at specific times for a specific purpose, there is a high probability that it will end up becoming an addiction.
There are numerous cases of drug addiction, people who do not find any type of motivation in their life, therefore they look to drugs. the experience of pleasant sensations or euphoria
6. Influence of the family context
Certain studies establish that coexistence in an unstable family environment being the child of drug-addicted parents or mental disorders in parents are factors that facilitate drug use in young people.
In a family environment in which drug consumption is common and even normalized, it is common for children to develop some type of addiction and for parents, due to their status as consumers, not to condemn these behaviors.
7. Pressure or influences from the circle of friends
One of the most frequent causes of drug addiction in adolescents is the pressure they receive from their group of friends to start using In groups in which consumption is habitual or frequent, it is very possible that the minor begins and maintains drug use with the intention of fitting in or integrating into it.
8. Lack of social skills
The properties of certain drugs of abuse make it easier for the person to feel uninhibited and safe. Therefore, those people with an introverted nature or with poor social skills They are more likely to consume a substance at times when they have to face social interaction.
9. Imitation out of admiration
Especially at younger ages, the influence of certain well-known people or public figures can make some people want to imitate some of their behaviors, including experimentation with drugs.
10. Sleep problems
Sleep problems are increasingly common in many people, including those who need to rest properly for any reason, or who work at night and need to sleep during the day. They may begin taking relaxing drugs or compounds to help them sleep
However, if the person begins to be stubborn about sleeping hours and being tired, the repetitive consumption of these compounds or drugs can lead to serious addiction.
11. Medical prescription
In most cases, when we think of addiction, only all types of illegal substances or alcohol come to mind. However, those drugs prescribed with risk of addiction and administered incorrectly are susceptible to becoming possible drugs of abuse or, at least, generating a lot of dependence.
12. Mental illnesses
There are certain mental disorders and illnesses whose symptoms can instigate a person to consume some type of drug. Good for pain relief. or to relieve psychological discomfort.
The disorders most frequently associated with drug use are:
Depression.
Anxiety.
Psychotic disorders: schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity.
13. Genetic factors
Although it cannot be considered a direct cause of drug addiction, there is an extensive debate among research that defends the existence of a genetic predisposition to drug addiction and those others who insist that this association is really due to learning.
However, studies carried out on twin brothers have found evidence that points to a strong relationship between the partial relationship between drug addiction and genetics.
14. Neurochemical mechanisms
In most cases, the pleasure and reward mechanism itself, carried out by different neurotransmitters involved in the addiction processes, are what lead the person to want re-experience the pleasant sensations they felt during the first consumption
In this way, a person with an organism that is especially sensitive to the action of certain substances can go from experimenting with drugs for the first time to developing an addiction that allows them to repeatedly experience the same sensations of pleasure.
