It’s a common fallacy that only a specific type of person gets caught up in addiction. The truth is that there’s not one person on this planet protected from its clutches. Everyone can become addicted to drugs or alcohol, though some things make it more or less likely to happen.
So what happens to the people who do have a dependency issue? Can they cure it? Many folks find that all it takes is one hit of a drug to become addicted. Many don’t find that alcohol has an appealing taste, but it’s often used to self-medicate pain. Many people have a glass of wine when they feel anxious; one glass of wine turns into two or three, and the momentum builds.
Predisposition to Substance Abuse
If you experiment with drugs or alcohol at parties or even alone, there’s a chance that you will become addicted. This is especially true if you use harsher substances like heroin. However, many factors go into the equation, as some folks are predisposed to addiction. Here are a few things that cause a predisposition to occur.
1. Family History
If you have a drug or alcohol dependency parent, the chances of developing this disease are more significant. Genetics plays a big part in chemical dependency, and having these genes makes you more susceptible.
2. Drug Use as a Child
When you experiment with drugs in your adolescent years, it increases the chances of developing a dependency later on. Even if you didn’t become addicted as a teenager, it doesn’t mean it won’t happen when you’re older. You’ve caused significant changes to occur in your brain during the experimental phase, interfering with your development. These brain changes can be problematic throughout life.
3. Having Mental Illness
The chances increase that you will try to self-medicate with drugs if you have some mental illness. Anxiety disorders make people more apt to try to drink away the pain. Mental illness also changes the way you think and can cause dependency issues.
4. Reclusive or Introverted Personalities
Everyone has stress in their life that seems unmanageable at times. However, those with a support network tend to fare better than those who don’t have one. When you have people, you can turn to in times of trouble, you’re less likely to turn to substances for help. So those who tend to be reclusive or introverted may be at a greater chance of addiction.
5. Unresolved Trauma
If you’ve suffered trauma, it puts you at a higher risk of dependency issues. You must process what happened to you and learn how to move past these horrific events. Not only will unresolved trauma make you more apt to suffer from dependency, but it can also cause you to develop mental illnesses. Many folks with personality disorders, anxiety, depression, and bipolar II, often have baggage from the past.
It’s a Journey Not a Destination
Sobriety is a journey that you continually walk for the rest of your life. Once the disease changes your brain and takes hold of your life, you won’t ultimately be free from it. If you let your guard down for even one minute, you can effortlessly go back to the same old patterns. Like diabetes and other medical conditions, you might be in remission with your substance abuse, but there’s no way to cure it completely. The good news is that it’s treatable, so you can be free from the clutches of this disease, even if it lays dormant in your system.
The key is to get assistance for whatever your addiction, and you must have a solid support system that can help you take control of this problem. Are you ready to start your journey and break free from this horrible disease? You can do it if you just take the first step. Please stop what you’re doing right now, pick up your phone, and call us. We can be reached at 833-820-2922. There’s a life filled with happiness and joy just around the corner, but the key is to break free from those ties that bind. We have a program that can help you get from where you are now to where you long to be.