According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, nearly 25% of young adults aged 18 to 25 and about 16% of adults aged 26 and up struggled with a substance use disorder in 2021. Alcohol and drug addiction can significantly reduce your health and quality of life for the worse. From fracturing relationships with loved ones to harming your physical and mental health, the risk of alcohol or drug addiction is significant and negatively impacts nearly all areas of a person’s life. Read on to learn more about the risk of alcohol or drug addiction and how you can take steps to prevent addiction in your own life.
At Pathways Recovery, we are addiction treatment centers for men and women who provide comprehensive treatment services to help patients live a happier, healthier life. We offer a range of treatment programs so men and women can receive individualized care to safely and effectively overcome addiction and take back their life.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, help is available! Contact us to learn more about how we can help you along your addiction recovery journey.
Common Alcohol Addiction Causes
Although addiction does not discriminate, there are several genetic, psychological, and environmental risk factors and alcohol addiction causes that can put you at risk for developing alcohol addiction. Although you may qualify for some of these risks, this does not mean you will automatically struggle with alcohol addiction. However, it is vital to be aware of the below risk factors that can increase your risk of developing alcohol addiction.
- Starting to drink at an early age.
- Having a family history of alcohol addiction.
- Drinking frequently or binge drinking.
- Having a mental health disorder.
- Having close friends or partners who drink excessively.
- Having a history of trauma.
Common Drug Addiction Causes
Similar to alcohol addiction, there are a number of risk factors that can raise your drug addiction risk. While these risk factors do not automatically guarantee you will develop a drug addiction, they are important to be aware of to prevent your risk of developing a substance use disorder. Below are some drug addiction risk factors to be aware of:
- Having a family history of drug addiction.
- Having mental health concerns.
- Abusing drugs at an early age.
- Being surrounded by family or friends that abuse drugs.
- Having difficulty controlling your impulses.
- Frequently engaging in risky behavior.
How to Prevent Alcohol Or Drug Addiction?
Whether you have genetic, environmental, social, or psychological risk factors that put you at an increased risk for developing a substance use disorder, there are a number of ways to prevent addiction and live a sober life. First, it’s important to understand your family history. For instance, if your father was an alcoholic, be aware that you are at a heightened risk of developing a substance use disorder yourself.
Next, intentionally try not to be surrounded by peers that abuse drugs or alcohol. And try to limit the amount of risky behaviors you engage in. If you have difficulty controlling your impulses, be careful of your environment and who you associate with. In other words, rather than being surrounded by drugs and being tempted to abuse them, do not even put yourself in that environment in the first place to reduce your risk of abusing drugs.
Last but not least, if you struggle with a mental illness, it’s essential you seek professional treatment for your mental disorder. Otherwise, you risk abusing drugs or alcohol as a means to cope with your mental illness, which only increases your risk of struggling with both addiction and mental illness, otherwise known as a dual diagnosis.
Leading Addiction Treatment Centers For Men and Women
The risk of alcohol or drug addiction can be high, especially if you have a family history of addiction or are surrounded by others who struggle with addiction. While risk factors do not automatically guarantee you will develop an addiction, it is crucial to be aware of any genetic, environmental, social, and psychological risk factors that may be putting you at risk for developing an addiction.
If you are currently struggling with an alcohol or drug addiction, help is available. At Pathways Recovery, we help patients overcome addiction and lead a long-term life of sobriety. We offer a range of comprehensive addiction services to help patients safely and effectively overcome addiction and improve their overall health and well-being for the better.If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, help is available. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you on your road to recovery.
