It is no secret that anyone can experience addiction irrespective of background or beliefs. However, it is challenging to comprehend why some are more susceptible to it. Many factors can make you an alcohol or drug addict regardless of how you were brought up or what moral codes you hold. Substance abuse remains a key topic of interest in research studies, but several known risk factors can predispose you to addiction. According to experts, you are likely to abuse substances and become dependent on them if exposed to more risks.
Addiction Risk Factors:
- Genetics- Genetics is perhaps the last answer you expected to see after searching “What is the most influential risk factor in addiction?” on Google. It is hard to comprehend that one can be born predisposed to addiction, but this is sadly the case. You may have heard that alcohol and drug abuse can run in families. This assertion is true to some extent, but it isn’t automatic that you too will be an addict, just because a family member is or was. Still, up to 50% of your risk of alcohol and drug addiction is based on genetics, so you are likely to experience it if there are addicts in the family.
- Environment- Your environment can also increase your risk of addiction, so keep this in mind. Experts believe that children and teens with uninvolved and abusive parents are likely to experiment with drugs or alcohol to cope. Peer pressure from friends in schools and neighborhoods also leads many young people to try drugs and alcohol. The availability of these substances in your social group is also an addiction risk factor. As such, it is no surprise that people undergoing addiction treatment often have to avoid environmental triggers.
- Drug Of Choice- Drugs like heroin and methamphetamine are more physically addictive than marijuana or alcohol. Consequently, if you use cocaine or heroin, your withdrawal phase can be quite hellish and even physically painful. To keep withdrawal symptoms at bay, you may be forced to experiment with these drugs more frequently and in higher doses. Therefore, these drugs will make you an addict faster than alcohol or marijuana would.
- Dual Diagnosis- A dual diagnosis occurs when you simultaneously have an addictive disorder and mental health condition like depression. These underlying mental health struggles can increase your addiction risk, while the addiction can worsen due to these problems, creating a vicious cycle.
Treating Your Addiction
- Intensive outpatient and outpatient treatment- An intensive outpatient and outpatient treatment plan can set you on a sustainable path to long-term recovery. The only difference between the two is that the latter is less intensive than the former.
- Telemedicine – Virtual addiction treatment can offer you the required assistance irrespective of your location. Telemedicine also helps you circumvent common barriers to in-person treatment such as work and family obligations, fear of stigma, and disability.
- Multiple pathways treatment- You can benefit from a combination of traditional and evidence-based approaches to treat your addiction successfully.
Why Choose Us For Addiction Recovery?
Our individualized approach to addiction treatment, combined with our use of evidence-based techniques, makes us one of the best substance abuse treatment centers in Mount Washington, Kentucky. Additionally, our staff offers compassionate and judgment-free care to all patients. Contact us today to get started.