Drug and alcohol addictions are prevalent problems worldwide. Sadly, the problem grows each year dramatically. Certain factors increase an individual’s likeliness of developing various addictions. And treatment centers such as Drug Rehab, Oklahoma City, and others provide various methods of treatments that seek out the core problem and aim to help individuals recover with professional therapy and other medical treatment programs. These treatment centers are at the forefront of the ongoing war against addiction.
Childhood Trauma
A traumatic childhood is, sadly, one of the most significant contributing factors to addiction. Most adult individuals who battle with addictions are statistically from troubling childhoods. Whether neglect, abuse, or abandonment, a troublesome childhood increases the risk of addiction for anyone.
Because early childhood impacts a person’s whole life, enduring unfair hardships early in life can cause immeasurable damage to an individual’s brain and nervous system, increasing the risks of addiction substantially. When childhood trauma is the culprit behind addiction, individuals must partake in professional therapy sessions during treatment to overcome their trauma.
Environment
According to statistics, environmental factors are another leading risk factor in addiction; children and teens whose parents are not often around lead to an increased risk of addiction. Other environmental factors include social pressure, exposure to substance abuse at a young age can lead an individual to condone the actions subconsciously. However, peer pressure is a leading environmental factor to date. Professional therapy sessions are also required when treating addictions that stem from various environmental factors.
Genetics
While the science on the genetics of addiction remains a bit blurry, there is enough evidence to suggest that children of addicts grow up to endure problems with addiction. Whether this is the result of early exposure as an environmental factor or actual biological genes remains unknown. However, children whose parents suffer from addiction are statistically at a high risk of developing an addiction themselves later on in life.
Early Exposure
Early exposure might be considered an environmental factor, although it is also a factor on its own. The risk factor increases an individual’s chances of developing an addiction substantially, as being exposed to addictive substances at a young age will hinder the development of the brain and do irreparable damage. Unfortunately, those who endure early exposure to addictive substances endure a lifelong struggle of drug addiction more often than not. Regardless, many addicts who were exposed to addictive substances at an early age have found recovery and continue to thrive.
Underlying Health Conditions
Underlying health conditions such as anxiety and depression, to name only a couple, can impact an individual’s likeliness of developing an addiction. Specific health conditions, especially those that affect one’s mind, will enhance the risks as the individual attempts to self-medicate subconsciously. During treatment programs, underlying mental health problems must be treated as they are at the core of the addiction.
Regardless of where an addiction stems from or the risk factors involved, all types of addictions require treatment. And in most cases, treatment should include professional therapy.
