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Why do people take drugs? It’s a question with no easy answer. No one case is the same as the next. Drug use is a complex web of psychological, environmental, biological, and social factors.
Understanding why people take drugs not only helps prevent addiction, it also unravels the roots of drug use to develop more effective treatment and recovery work.
This exploration isn’t about judgment or blame. It’s about gaining insight into the underlying causes that can make someone more vulnerable to substance abuse.
In this article, we’ll explore the genetic, environmental, psychological, and social causes that could lead someone to develop a drug use disorder. Understanding the reasons behind drug use helps us show more compassion and ultimately give people the strength to overcome addiction.
Common Reasons People Turn to Drugs
The reasons why people start taking drugs are as varied as the individuals themselves. To understand why someone might turn to drugs, we need to explore four key areas: environmental, psychological, genetic, and social factors.
While these are not the only reasons a person may turn to drugs, these categories encompass the majority of reasons and the most common reasons people turn to drugs.
1. Environmental Factors
The environmental factors of drug use are often a sensitive subject for drug users. This is because environmental factors include family, authority, home, childhood, and school. For people who have struggled with family or experienced trauma growing up, dissecting their environmental causes can be difficult.
Many people from households where somebody is an addict or uses drugs will likely use drugs or substances. This is because it is a learned behavior that develops over time by seeing people in a position of authority or power use the substance. However, not all people who grow up with an addict in their household will become an addict.
By being exposed to drugs in childhood or while growing up, the child’s risk of using drugs increases. People who grew up in areas with lots of drug use are also at risk of developing a drug abuse disorder. This can include people who grew up in areas with many drug dealers.
Other environmental factors such as an abusive household can be a reason why people take illegal drugs. Being raised in an abusive household is an extremely traumatic event. Many people who experience traumatic events will self-medicate because they do not realize that they have experienced profound trauma.
2. Psychological Factors
Mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can lead to substance use disorders. They may self-medicate to numb the pain they feel.
Other psychological aspects of drug use involve feelings of hopelessness or despair, leaving the person feeling empty. This often causes people to use substances to try to fill the void they feel, even if it provides only temporary relief.
3. Genetic Factors
Research suggests that genetics may play a role in addiction vulnerability. While having a family history of addiction doesn’t guarantee that someone will become addicted, it does increase their risk.
No specific genome indicates whether a person will develop a substance use disorder. However, a family with a history of addiction indicates that the genetic code for their family has either some genetic predisposition towards addiction or that the environmental factors or psychological factors have been the same for generations.
4. Social Factors
Social factors, including peer pressure, lack of support systems, and social isolation, can contribute to why people take hard drugs.
Many people who are not supported by the social institutions and structures that our society has may also fall into substance use. This can be due to a variety of reasons. Places with no activities or places for children to go after school often result in high numbers of children using substances.
Social structures such as public play areas and after-school activities can help reduce these numbers by providing alternatives to drugs that keep the children engaged and experiencing life.
Additionally, underfunded or understaffed schools may struggle to provide the attention and guidance that students need. When young people feel overlooked or unsupported, they may be more likely to experiment with substances.
People can also be drawn to drug use recreationally. Many people will begin using drugs for fun to enhance their feelings while at parties or celebrations. While they may think it’s a one-time recreational use, it can quickly and easily become a debilitating addiction.
Many college students experience drug use and substance use disorder because of party and drinking culture. While some students may view their drug or alcohol use as harmless fun, it’s crucial to acknowledge the risks and offer support for those who develop problematic patterns.
Identifying the Root Cause of Drug Addiction
Drug addiction is a complex issue, but it’s important to remember that it doesn’t have to be something a person lives with forever. Recovery is possible, and a crucial step in that journey is understanding why people take drugs in the first place.
Emotional and psychological pain is not easy to see for someone who is not trained to find it. Many people carry the weight of past trauma without even realizing its impact on their lives. This can make it difficult for those struggling with addiction to identify trauma as a root cause.
This is where a therapist or counselor can be extremely helpful. Therapists and counselors, specifically those trained in identifying addiction causes, help addicts identify the root cause of their addiction.
One effective therapy for addiction is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT helps you recognize and change negative thought patterns and behaviors that contribute to drug use. By creating new neurological pathways in the brain, you can reduce the power of triggers and gain healthier coping skills.
While achieving abstinence from drugs is a major accomplishment, true recovery involves more than just stopping drug use. It means addressing the underlying reasons for addiction and healing the emotional and psychological wounds that led you down that path. This deeper level of healing can lead to a more sustainable recovery and a happier, healthier life.
Taking the First Step Towards Recovery
It is extremely beneficial for people suffering from drug use and substance use disorders to seek professional help. Professional help comes in all shapes and sizes, and there will always be a therapist for a center that will be a good match for you.
Professional help is sometimes frowned upon because it seems to legitimize the addiction. Many people who do not want to admit that they have an addiction will refuse professional help because it makes them realize how difficult the situation is.
Realizing that you have an addiction that needs to be dealt with is a great first step. Taking a step further by going to therapy, a rehabilitation center, or another professional is even better. Professionals can see the issues getting in the way of our success objectively and give us insight into our lives that we may not have been able to pick up on before.
If you or a loved one is dealing with a drug use disorder, please contact us today to explore the options our professional center can provide you. Nobody deserves to live with addiction, and you are no exception.
Source:
Infinite Recovery has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations for our references. We avoid using tertiary references as our sources. You can learn more about how we source our references by reading our editorial guidelines and medical review policy.
- Jedrzejczak M. Family and environmental factors of drug addiction among young recruits. Mil Med. 2005;170(8):688-690. doi:10.7205/milmed.170.8.688
