Addiction is a very common thing, and nowadays there is tonnes of knowledge due to vast amounts of research. We are now aware of the various types of addictive substances and the behaviours that addicts demonstrate. We also know how to treat addictions in order to allow those individuals to regain control of their lives; there is a multitude of sources of help nowadays, from healthcare professionals to anonymous support groups.
But, there has been extensive research in recent times to discover what exactly causes addiction. For the general population who haven’t been exposed to any research, they believe that addiction is just someone becoming dependent on something because they’ve overused it. However, whilst this may be true on the surface, there are often underlying reasons as to why the person overused it in the first place.
Much of that research has been directed at determining whether addiction is passed down through the family generations. Studies have revealed that addiction is 50 percent down to genetic predisposition and 50 per cent down to poor coping skills. For example, if there were identical twins, if one twin was addicted to a substance then other one is highly likely to also having an addiction.
Moreover, studies also delved into the family history of those involved in the studies; if a person has an addiction, they then looked at the behaviours of their immediate relatives, which are parents or siblings. This research discovered that if an individual has a parent or sibling that has an addiction, then they would be 8 times more likely to develop an addiction to a substance as well. It makes sense, as those people will be surrounded by addictive behaviours every single day.
Since the beginning of time, species have been susceptible to addiction; animals eat food and continue to eat it if it takes a liking to it, and throughout evolution it has been passed through to us human beings. So, a form of addiction has been programmed into us and this is evident when we constantly use our mobile phones or eat too much of our favourite food. Although, some people are more predisposed to addiction of a negative kind than others.
Some people possess better coping mechanisms than others, and in such a tough world, good coping skills are vital. This is why people who constantly escape unwanted emotions and feelings through substances such as alcohol or drugs become addicted and dependent on them. So, this research shows that addiction isn’t entirely hereditary.
It highlights the fact that whilst family history and family behaviours do have an impact on whether we become addicts or not, it only accounts for 50 percent of addiction. The other 50 percent comes as a result of our environment and the way we are able to cope with different situations that occur in our lives. Ultimately, whether you become dependent on a substance due to your family or your coping skills, you can overcome it and turn your life around!
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