While drug addiction is partially hereditary, the environment you’re in plays a significant role. Understanding the connection can bring healing. You’ve probably heard that drug addiction and alcohol addiction can be hereditary. There is some very good research out there that indicates that it’s much more likely to become addicted to substances if someone in your family has been addicted in the past or is currently addicted. While that might be true, there are so many other factors that come into play when it comes to drug addiction. Let’s talk about the role genetics play in addiction, and then we’ll go over environmental factors and their role.
Genes and Addiction: What’s the Connection?
Studies have shown that children of addicts have a much higher probability of becoming addicts themselves. In fact, the risk is eight times higher than it is for those with parents who never struggled with addiction. While scientists have yet to pinpoint specific genes that relate to connection, they have identified some genetic factors that make people more susceptible to addiction than others. In another sense, everyone is already equipped with the genetic tendency for addiction simply due to basic survival. Maybe you’ve felt there were times when you were addicted to a certain type of food, for example. Your brain is, in a sense, wired with these tendencies for addiction. Even so, just because your brain might be more wired for addiction to drugs, that doesn’t mean you have to succumb to that addiction.
Your Environment and Addiction: What’s the Connection?
Just as research has proven that genetics are partially responsible for addiction, it has also proven that your environment is at least 50% to blame. Perhaps you’ve been through a traumatic event during your childhood, and those painful memories have resulted in a need to use drugs to relieve some of that pain. Or, it’s possible that you’ve gone through a difficult situation in your adulthood; such as a divorce, the loss of a job, or the loss of a child. Regardless of the reason behind your addiction, your environment, and your circumstances play a significant role. That’s why it’s so important to address environmental issues during drug rehab. By talking about the person issues you’ve faced in your life, you can learn how to cope in ways that are healthy and that will promote healing. As a result, you’ll also learn how you can leave your life of addiction behind for good, as you embrace a life that’s free of any type of substance.
Getting Professional Help for Your Drug Addiction
Are you concerned that you might have a drug addiction? Many addictions happen accidentally. You may have taken prescription painkillers for too long, or you may have experimented with drugs without intending to get addicted. No matter what your personal experience has been, here at Northpoint Recovery, we can help you find a drug rehab facility that can help you. Contact us for more information.