What Causes Drug Addiction?
Individuals can get caught up into using drugs for reasons depending on circumstances they are in. It can start from simple curiosity until eventually hooked, whether consciously or unconsciously. It can be that the person has been exposed to someone who is a drug addict, or he/she may be someone who needs constant medication, or someone who is not strong enough to cope up with life's pressures, and any other possible reasons. Drug addiction can happen when the drug has been used constantly until the user becomes dependent on it. But whether they know it or not, some do not expect it to happen to them.
Curiosity
According to researches, curiosity is usually the beginning of drug addiction. Individuals begin to experiment on certain drugs base on what they have heard about it, the slight feel of after effect on prescription drug, or as simple as curiosity of why certain drug is prohibited. This situation is commonly applicable to teens. Though drug use may have started from recreational purpose at times it leads to actual addiction.
Prescription Drugs
Even if the drug is prescribed by the doctor or can be bought in the pharmacy it can lead to drug addiction. Prescription drugs can be misused for purposes other than medical. The most common misused prescription drugs are depressants, stimulants, and pain killers. Drug abusers take it more frequently and/or take more than what their doctor recommends. Although majority of the users do not get hooked on prescription drugs, some do and become dependent on these.
Pressures of Life
Some resorts into using drugs as a way to cope to life's pressures, stress, and problems. Common reasons are problems concerning family, school, work, and relationships. They thought of drugs as an escape but actually their brains are just being controlled by the drug, giving them feeling "high". They want contain themselves in a world and having a feeling that is only imaginary and temporary.
Promise to Enhance Performance
If you think famous and successful athletes have no reason to take and get addicted to drugs, well you are wrong. Even athletes are inclined to it. There are drugs that serve as a body or health supplement and specialized to enhance performance. An example of which is Steroids. Using it can not only can make muscles bigger, it reduces pain in order for athletes to perform even when injured. However, they can depend their athlete life using it.
Exposure to a Drug Addict
There is a greater chance for a person to be just like someone similar to his or her surroundings.
If a person is often exposed to someone who is an addict, he or she can be lead into addiction. Other people can lead by influence; examples are your close friends, colleague, and even family. Family is the very critical factor of influence especially to growing kids. Kids have high tendencies to adapt the values and behavior of their family member who is a drug addict because family is often the first and main exemplar.
Peer Pressure
In order to fit in a certain environment or new social situation, it can be tempting to follow and be like any other else within that group. Mind you, if you think peer pressure is only applicable to kids or youth in school, you are wrong. Peer pressure can happen to anyone at any ages. Even adults encounter peer pressure for them to fit in the work place, new neighborhood, and new social classes. However, teens are more susceptible to peer pressure because it is the peak of their curiosity, exploration, and finding their real identity. Also, teenagers indulge into peer pressure are part of proving independence to the point of rebelling against their parents.
Easier Drug Access
By getting easy access to buy and take drugs, individuals are prone to get it whenever he or she wants to. Drugs can be easily bought in street corners and alleys, to a friend, classmate, colleague, neighbor, and in the nearest pharmacy too. Drugs, just like any products sold in the market, can be sold at a lower cost too especially when there is high supply of it.