It’s not always easy to pinpoint what causes drug addiction. Sure, it’s easy to understand why young people might experiment with mind-altering substances during their adolescent years. After all, it’s during this time that most of us try to discover more about ourselves and the world around us. But what about the adults who continue to abuse drugs and alcohol? Do they continue to use, despite the damage it causes to their relationships, career, and life in general?
Drug Addiction Stats
Over the past decade, drug use has slightly increased among Americans. According to data collected by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), approximately 13% of the American population ages 12 years or older admitted to using an illegal drug within the past month. In 2012, that number jumped up to 13.2% or an increase of 4 million people. This statistic could be in large part because of the spike in marijuana use. Abuse of other drugs remained relatively the same at this same time.
The drugs that individuals in the US abuse most often include:
- Alcohol
- Marijuana
- Opioid pain relievers
- Cocaine
- Depressants
Understanding What Causes Drug Addiction
When you consider how many individuals struggle with addiction, it’s almost impossible not to wonder, what causes drug addiction?
Several likely factors put individuals at higher risk of developing addictions to drugs or alcohol. First, it’s essential to understand that addiction is a chronic and relapsing disease that causes compulsive urges to both seek and abuse mind-altering substances. Users chase after the “high” that drugs create, and over time, their brains and body become accustomed to receiving the substance. The body eventually comes to rely on the substance to work “the right way.”
While scientists work to understand the bizarre of what causes drug abuse, there are some factors that they’ve already pinpointed as having an impact.
Psychological factors include:
- Past traumas, particularly from childhood
- Past sexual or physical abuse
- Neglect
- Mental illness like depression or anxiety
- Social awkwardness or inability to connect with others
- Poor coping skills
Environmental causes:
- Growing up with an alcoholic or addicted parent
- Lack of parental supervision
- Peer group or close friends who use drugs or alcohol
- Being part of a lower socioeconomic class
- Gender and ethnicity
Addiction Programs Can Help You Win the Fight Against This Disease
If you’re addicted to drugs or alcohol and haven’t been able to stop the abuse on your own, Crestview Recovery in Portland, Oregon can offer you a safe and therapeutic place to seek addiction programs and find healing. Our facility has helped thousands of individuals in the Pacific Northwest finally end their drug abuse and learn to lead healthy, productive lives. We can help you, too.
Some of the services we offer include:
- Partial hospitalization program
- Intensive outpatient treatment
- Detox referrals to off-site partner location
As part of these treatment options, we offer a variety of treatments. These are a mixture of holistic and evidence-based therapies that we use in the addiction recovery process. We design each of our treatment plans to your needs. Therefore, your treatment may include:
Find Help Now
You don’t have to live in misery with your addiction any longer. Crestview Recovery has quality addiction treatment programs that can get you back on your feet and headed towards a life of long-lasting positive change. Let us help you regain your independence and self-worth by teaching you how to live without drugs or alcohol. Contact us at 866.262.0531 to find out more about our programs and to begin your journey towards a healthier and brighter future.
Since 2016, Dr. Merle Williamson, a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University, has been the Medical Director at Crestview Recovery, bringing a rich background in addiction medicine from his time at Hazelden Treatment Center. He oversees outpatient drug and alcohol treatments, providing medical care, setting policies, detox protocols, and quality assurance measures. Before specializing in addiction medicine, he spent 25 years in anesthesiology, serving as Chair of Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente. This experience gives him a unique perspective on treating prescription drug addiction.
