Who Can Become Addicted? [1]
The short answer is any person can become dependent and it can happen in a variety of ways; whether it is using illegal substances or prescription medication, it can happen quickly or over time. (For a discussion on how a person may become addicted to prescription medication, click here. What follows here is a discussion focused more on illegal use or abusing medication.)
First, consider no child has ever said: ‘I want to grow up and become a drug addict.’ No adult has ever taken medication and planned on becoming dependent on that drug. This is not a disease that anyone expects to develop when they start using a drug. But sadly, 23.5 million[2] Americans ages 12 and older need substance abuse treatment because of their dependence to a chemical substance. So why do it; why does a person first use drugs?
There are a wide variety of reasons a person may use drugs, from it feeling good, to wanting to feel better, to do a particular activity better, or to just fit in. It is important to remember that many drugs do produce an intense sensation of pleasure and we all like pleasure. The level of dopamine produced because of the drug can jump dramatically, possibly creating a sense of self-confidence and energy. So a person might start using a substance to continue those feelings. Someone else may use a drug to help enhance their thinking or athletic performance or to deal with pain received from some type of injury. Others may start using because of the mental issues they are suffering, such as depression or anxiety. And even others may take a drug because of a perception that everyone else is using, so why not ‘me.’ In general, it is not uncommon for teenagers to try risky behavior to impress their friends and show how they are not afraid. Thus, the variety of reasons a person might start are vast.
Granted the initial decision to use a drug may be a “voluntary” choice. But as the drug using continues, the ability to voluntarily stop using decreases. Prolonged drug use changes the brain in fundamental and lasting ways. That is the nature of this disease, the areas of the brain that control a person’s judgement and decision making are changed, and not for the better.
In many cases, the initial use is perceived by the person to be beneficial and the person believes he or she can control it. After all, with that initial use the person feels good – maybe it helped with the math test or ran faster in the track meet, it made the pain go away or the person developed new so-called ‘friends’—but with continued use, that all dramatically changes.
Potential Factors for Prevention or Dependence
Just as the reasons a person uses vary, so too, the factors on whether or not a person becomes dependent on that drug varies. It is critical to remember that we are all different, from how we are raised to who we are genetically. Such questions as:
- Did the person demonstrate aggressive behavior in childhood or have good self control?
- Did the person have good parental supervision and monitoring or not?
- Was there drug experimentation early on or was there a focus on academic competence?
- Are drugs easily available at the schools or are there good anti-drug policies in place?
- Did the person’s parents abuse alcohol or drugs?
These kinds of questions address the risk and/or protective factors in determining if a person may become dependent. But it doesn’t end there. Genetic factors can also account for between 40 and 60 percent of someone’s potential to become dependent. The person’s environment and how that interacts with the person’s genetics are all important considerations.
Two other critical factors are, first, when was the initial use and second, how was the drug administered? Was the drug used at an early age in life? A person’s brain is still developing well into their 20s and using drugs in his or her teen years makes that person more susceptible. The drug has greater impact on the brain while it is developing and during the teen years, there are significant changes occurring. Was the drug injected, smoked, ‘snorted,’ chewed, or some other method used? The method of use can also play a role. If the substance is injected or smoked, the person will have a faster and more intense high that typically fades within a few minutes. Because of that intense rush of pleasure and how quickly it dissipates, the person will use again in a very short time trying to get that rush once more. However, because of the brain’s response, that becomes harder and harder. For more information on the brain’s response, read Addiction – Drugs on Your Brain.
Footnotes:
[1] Much of this content is obtained from Drug Abuse and Addiction, National Institute on Drug Abuse. To read more or get more information on the research go to: https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/drug-abuse-addiction
[2] Treatment Statistics, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Obtained from: https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/treatment-statistics
Here are some factors that can make a person more likely to develop a drug problem:
- Starting drug use when you're young. When kids or teens use drugs, it affects how their bodies and brains grow. Using drugs when you're young increases your chances of becoming addicted when you're an adult.
- Hanging around other people who use drugs. Friends or family members who use drugs might influence you to use drugs.
- Trouble at home. If a person’s home is an unhappy place, or was when they were growing up, they might be more likely to have a drug problem. When kids aren't cared for, or there are lots of fights, or a parent is using drugs, the risk of addiction goes up. Kids in these situations should ask for help from a trusted adult, like a school counselor, a coach, or someone from their faith community.
Other factors include:
- Trouble in school, trouble at work, trouble with making friends. Failures at school or work, or trouble getting along with people, can make life hard. A person might be tempted to use drugs to get their mind off these stresses.
- Mental health problems. People with untreated mental health issues like depression, anxiety, or other mental health challenges are more likely to become addicted. They might use drugs to try to feel better.
- Your biology. Each person’s body reacts to drugs differently. Some people like the feeling the first time they try a drug and want more; others hate how it feels and never try it again. Some people are more likely to get addicted, but there's no way to test for that.
If you have some of these risk factors, it doesn’t automatically mean you’ll develop a drug problem someday. However, even if you have none of the risk factors, that doesn’t make it safe to use drugs. Think carefully about what you put in your body.
