Drug addiction is something that regularly tears families apart and is something that can potentially disrupt any of our lives. Unfortunately however, there are certain people that are more likely to become or have to deal with drug addiction than others. For these people there is little they can do to avoid having to cope with drugs in someway. The following are some examples of things that may influence drug addiction.
The community
Regardless of the parents profession or background, growing up in a certain community or neighborhood will have a dramatic influence on the likelihood of someone getting involved with drugs. Often it is the less affluent urban areas, with high unemployment that you will find more drug dealers. Teenagers in particular, living in these areas are at a high risk of becoming involved with drugs. In certain impoverished areas the schools are much more likely to have students which are related to drug dealers and possibly even drug dealers themselves. Whilst young people in these areas still aren’t that likely to become addicts, the risk is much higher than it would be in a rural area.
Personality traits
Not everyone is the same and unfortunately some people are hardwired to be more susceptible to addiction. This kind of behavior isn’t always associated with drugs but if someone with an addictive personality begins to experiment with drugs the chances of becoming an addict are much higher. People who are susceptible to addiction seek instant gratification and often struggle to commit to long term objectives and goals instead acting more impulsively. Studies suggest that people with an addictive personality are also more likely to experiment with drugs when given the chance, demonstrating that these personality traits make becoming a drug addict a high risk.
People who have little self respect or self belief are also more likely to become drug addicts. A low self esteem impairs people from having ambitions and goals and often makes people more comfortable doing debilitating things. Those who give their lives little value are more likely to disregard the risks of drugs as the high they provide may be the only way of restoring confidence. Eventually of course, the effects of the drugs wear off and the addict will have to seek out more to feel better about him/herself.
Growing up with it
A child’s behavior and thought processes develop through the influence of their parents and family. Witnessing and growing up alongside people who take drugs make the child much more likely to become a drug addict. Particularly young children will assume that what their family is doing is acceptable and won’t have the ability to subjectively consider the dangers and risks of drugs.
Creativity
Vincent Van Gogh, The Beatles, Jim Morrison and Hunter S. Thompson are all directly associated with their vast creativity which was synonymous with substance abuse. It is fairly common for creative people, seeking new ideas and inspiration, to experiment with drugs. Certain substances like LSD allow the user to view their surroundings with an altered perspective whereas alcohols effect on the users inhibitions, arguably causes people to act instinctively and expressively. Whilst various substances have been essential for various peoples success they also have been responsible for many downfalls and demises. Certain people find that being intoxicated is crucial for their creative success and find themselves constantly getting high in order to produce material they are proud of, soon leading them to addiction they cannot escape.
This is a guest post provided by Stanley Martinson. A part time writer, stanley is currently focused on drug related issues, and how to solve them. For more information on the subject, look at this!