Drug addiction can be found in many forms. A person can be addicted to alcohol, prescription drugs, inhalants, or other street drugs (cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines, etc.). Understanding the reasons people are initially attracted to drug use can help stop future users from becoming addicts. Experimentation and curiosity are the first factors that draw many to even try drugs. They want to feel that “high,” the sense of euphoria that comes with drug use. While this may lead to recreational use of drugs (using only in certain situations), it rarely leads to actual addiction unless other factors are present. However, some drugs (like heroin) have are more likely to cause addiction than others, resulting in an addiction from simple experimentation alone.
Prescription drugs can turn people into addicts because they have conditions in which they need to take drugs in order to get relief. A person becomes hooked on prescription drugs when they take more than the recommended dosage, take it more frequently than recommended, and continue using the drug after their initial medical condition clears up. Elite athletes are susceptible to using drugs. They use them for performance enhancing abilities. Steroids can make muscles bigger, while amphetamines help reduce or numb pain, allowing persons to play injured. Recently, major league baseball has come under fire for drug abuse. Though not as prominent, high school and college athletes have also been known to use drugs to enhance their performance.
Others turn to drug use to cope with problems in their real lives. Whether it is past abuse (physical or sexual), school problems, work problems, or relationship issues, drug use can help a person temporarily escape the realities of his/her life. Being around drugs and being exposed to addicts can also lead to drug addiction. If a family member or close friend uses or is addicted to drugs, it becomes acceptable for other members to engage in similar behaviour. It becomes a tolerated activity. Peer pressure is also a factor in turning people into drug addicts. Contrary to popular belief, peer pressure can happen at any age. Adults fall prey to peer pressure to fit into new social classes, new workplaces, and new neighbourhoods. Teenagers fight peer pressure on everything from looks to alcohol to sex to drugs. In fact, crystal meth is becoming a way for many teenage girls to fight the pressure that comes with needing to be thin and attractive. Teenagers can also fall prey to the rebellious attitude that they need to do anything their parents or those in authority say is bad. Easy accessibility to drugs and new, lower prices are other causes of drug addiction. Drugs can be found anywhere if a person simply asks. Street corners and alleyways are no longer the only place to find drugs. Schools, workplaces, and even the family next door might be new places to find drugs. With more drugs being produced, the price has also been driven down. Another one of the causes of drug addiction is using drugs to mask other mental problems. For example, depressed people frequently use drugs to escape their sad feelings.
No single factor can predict whether or not a person will become addicted to drugs. Risk for addiction is influenced by a person's biology, social environment, and age or stage of development. The more risk factors an individual has, the greater the chance that taking drugs can lead to addiction. For example, the genes that people are born with—in combination with environmental influences—account for about half of their addiction vulnerability. Additionally, gender, ethnicity, and the presence of other mental disorders may influence risk for drug abuse and addiction. A person's environment includes many different influences—from family and friends to socioeconomic status and quality of life in general. Factors such as peer pressure, physical and sexual abuse, stress, and parental involvement can greatly influence the course of drug abuse and addiction in a person's life. Genetic and environmental factors interact with critical developmental stages in a person's life to affect addiction vulnerability, and adolescents experience a double challenge. Although taking drugs at any age can lead to addiction, the earlier that drug use begins, the more likely it is to progress to more serious abuse. And because adolescents' brains are still developing in the areas that govern decision making, judgment, and self-control, they are especially prone to risk-taking behaviours, including trying drugs of abuse.
In the end, drug addiction is a preventable disease. Results from researches have shown that prevention programs that involve the family, schools, communities, and the media are effective in reducing drug abuse. Although many events and cultural factors affect drug abuse trends, when youths perceive drug abuse as harmful, they reduce their drug taking. It is necessary, therefore, to help youth and the general public to understand the risks of drug abuse and for teachers, parents, and healthcare professionals to keep sending the message that drug addiction can be prevented if a person never abuses drugs.