There are certain predisposing factors which lead people into addiction. Nobody becomes an addict by choice. They get there, due to a broad range of circumstances and scenarios too many to list here completely however here are a few of the more common addiction starters we find in consultation with clients.
Invariably the most common cause of a substance addiction stems from unresolved pain or trauma most frequently established in early childhood upbringing but yet echoed into adult life with maladapted behaviours that create circumstances that drive the addiction.
- They are unaware of the real dangers involved in substance use
- They are dissatisfied/unhappy with their work / home / relationship environment
- They are influenced by their peers
- They approach drugs/alcohol as an experiment
- They believe they will be able to stop if it becomes a problem
- They have emotional problems – drugs help them feel better, albeit temporarily
- They start with alcohol – easily obtainable, but then move on to illegal drugs under the influence
- The first encounter is pleasant, so they continue
- It becomes more than just a “social thing” – they start using it when alone
- Tolerance develops – they have to take more to get the same effect
- The withdrawal effects increase in severity and so does their intake
- They progress through dependency to addiction
- They lose control of the situation and run into serious problems in most areas of their lives
- They resist all efforts to help themselves, fearing the withdrawals and the underlying emotions that drove them to misusing the substance in the first place
- Some people have a generic (inherited) tendency to develop addiction more easily than other people. They do not know this until they are trapped in the cycle of addiction
It is never too late. Anyone can start a process of recovery through psychological and medical intervention. This journey begins with understanding the core problems which drove them to seek relief through substances in the first place.
