Substance abuse disorders can cause physical and psychological dependence. Addiction can cause you to prioritize your substance use, which can negatively impact your relationships, career, and finances. With substance use disorders being a common problem in the United States, you may wonder what causes addiction.
What Causes Addiction?
It is critical to understand more about addiction before the causes. Addiction is a progressive disease that impacts your thoughts, feelings, and behavior. You develop an addiction when you continue to abuse the substance of choice even when you experience negative consequences and have a desire to quit.
If you are wondering about the causes of addiction, it is important to know that anyone can develop a substance use disorder.
Addiction has no known cause, although certain factors can increase your risk of developing a substance use disorder, including:
- Having a close relative with a substance abuse problem
- Trauma
- Experimenting with substances at a young age
- Having a mental health disorder, such as depression or anxiety disorders
- Being prescribed addictive medications
Environmental factors, such as poverty or familial instability, can increase the risk of addiction. Growing up in a neighborhood with an open-air drug market can increase your chances of using substances. Another factor that can increase your chances of developing an addiction is having friends that use drugs and alcohol.
Some people are more sensitive to the effects of substances, which can increase the risk of abuse. If your parents or guardian abused drugs and alcohol, it makes you more likely to struggle with a substance use disorder. Watching your parents cope with negative life events by abusing drugs and alcohol can teach unhealthy coping strategies and encourage drug and alcohol use.
Common symptoms of addiction include:
- Needing to use substances to feel normal
- Having to increase your use to feel the same effects of intoxication
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you stop using
- Concealing your substance use
- Feeling guilt, shame, or remorse about your substance use
How Addiction Is Treated
When you wonder what causes addiction, it is important to understand that recovery is possible. Addiction treatment centers utilize a variety of techniques and programs to help an individual reach recovery.
Evidence-based treatments are proven to work after extensive studies and research, while holistic therapies treat your body, mind, and spirit. During treatment, you will learn how to cope with cravings and triggers. Identifying your triggers helps you develop healthy coping strategies, which reduces your risk of relapsing.
Counseling is another important part of substance abuse treatment programs. Individual and group therapy sessions improve your ability to problem-solve and handle stress. Many addiction treatment centers offer family programs, which ensures your loved ones can support your recovery.
Intensive outpatient programs (IOP) can meet for two to three days a week for several weeks, which can help you adjust to life without drugs or alcohol. This outpatient program lets individuals work on their sobriety while returning home to meet family, school, or work obligations.
According to the data found by the NCDAS, in 2018, 31.9 million Americans ages 12 and older used illicit drugs monthly while 8.1 million individuals had a substance abuse disorder and another 14.8 million had an alcohol misuse disorder. Addiction is a chronic and progressive condition, meaning that symptoms will continue to worsen until you seek treatment.
Finding Help Today
When you are struggling with a substance abuse problem, you may wonder about what caused it. Addiction does not discriminate and it does become more severe the longer you avoid treatment. Treatment at Renaissance Recovery ensures that you have the support, understanding, and guidance necessary to recover. If you would like to discuss your treatment options, contact us by calling 855.833.9199 today.
