Getting at the root of addiction
Why is it important to understand the reasons people begin abusing drugs and alcohol? Understanding the ‘why’ gets at the root of addiction and presents a powerful tool for effective treatment of substance abuse and preventing it in the first place.
Drug and alcohol abuse and addiction knows no social, economic, or educational boundaries. Anyone has the potential to substance addiction. Even though the vast majority of people know the serious consequences — legal and personal — that can arise from drug or alcohol abuse. So why do they do it? Typically, certain triggers as well as psychological motivators like anxiety or depression make problematic substance abuse more likely for some people.
5 Reasons People Begin Abusing Drugs and Alcohol
People sometimes greatly underestimate the power of drugs and alcohol to take over their lives. Maybe they simply decide to give a certain drug a try — say, heroin — believing they simply want the experience and, afterwards, they’ll move on. But it’s that first step that can turn into a painful stumble down a slippery slope, which ends in addiction.
Five common reasons people take that first step toward habitual substance abuse:
- Peer pressure. Most people associate this with adolescents up to older teens, but the powerful influence of peers doesn’t end on one’s 20th birthday. Peer pressure takes on a different character for adults, so it may not feel like pressure to fit in. Imagine you’re in a situation, as an adult, with friends, co-workers, or even family members who are using. They may not vocalize their pressure, but somehow they make you feel as if you’re missing out by not joining in. This carpe diem moment could end up becoming the foothold for an addiction to take over.
- Boredom. Nobody likes feeling bored, but with all the distractions and entertainment available on a whim, who could be bored? There’s social media, steaming video content, video games, and more. Even so, one of the primary reasons people in treatment give for turning to drugs and alcohol is boredom. But true boredom isn’t the real culprit. It’s the feeling of isolation, loneliness, and feeling trapped that motivate people to start using. This mode of escape soon become habitual and ends up as an addiction.
- Social attitudes. Movies and TV shows often depict drug and alcohol use as glamorous or, at worst, passingly problematic. Social attitudes in certain environments where people gather for entertainment remove the stigma normally associated with substance abuse. Family attitudes and the community in which a person lives can have a powerful influence on what level of substance use and abuse is acceptable. Those in a community where substance abuse is either accepted or simply ignored are more likely to experiment and begin using regularly.
- Grief over a personal loss. Everyone experiences hard times at some point — a relationship break up, loss of a loved one, job loss, physical accidents. These situations can cause emotional devastation for people and not everyone has the tools to properly cope with these events in healthy ways. Those people are at greater risk for using drugs and alcohol in order to cope, telling themselves it’s only temporary. Unfortunately, for some people, ‘temporary’ never ends, transitioning into long-term and dependence.
- Impulsivity. One risk factor for substance abuse involves impulsivity, which is a personality trait. People with impulsive personalities tend to desire instant gratification and they get it from the nearly instant high or euphoria from using drugs or alcohol. This unchecked desire for immediate results, despite possible consequences, results in struggles with addiction and the associated troubles.
These represent only some of the most common reasons people give for their foray into abusing drugs and alcohol. There are many others, often subcategories of these like: financial incentives, career pressures, mental illness, rebellion, and many others.
Take a New Path, One to Sobriety and Healing
People make numerous choices everyday. Many of these are trivial, but some choices have the power to steer one’s life trajectory down an undesirable path. No one consciously chooses to be addicted to drugs or alcohol. Breaking an addiction isn’t easy, but with caring and compassionate professional support and treatment, recovery can begin. At Edge Treatment, we help people recover from drug and alcohol addictions in an intensive outpatient setting.
Contact Edge Treatment today and learn how our caring professionals can help you on your recovery journey.
