Substance abuse can also be referred as drug abuse. It is growing hazard in the society and anyone can be a victim of it, disregarding age, gender ethnicity. It is a patterned use of a drug in which a user consumes a substance or drug in amounts. That results in physical, psychological and emotional harm to the user or others. Further, it can also have devastating effects on the financial, social and even legal standing in the society of a person.
What are the causes of the Substance Abuse?
There are many mental health disorders and other factors that may contribute in the development of drug addiction or Substance Abuse. Among all, some common causes of substance abuse are listed below.
- Genetics as a drug abuse: Drug abuse is often attributed to a lack of willpower in the person. Those people have more chances of addiction, who are very conscious and feel difficulty in doing any work. However, some forms of addiction have their deep roots in the cells of people who use drugs. The role or work of the genes can be different in different people. It can increase the euphoric response to drug and decrease the ability to feel a negative response to the drugs. In this problem, drugs can react quickly as compared to reacting in a person without genetic problem.
- Environmental causes: There are many life circumstances that affect the younger users, such as families, beliefs, attitudes, friends and so on. The home where a person grow up and learn more things, can also cause drug abuse. When the home’s environment disrupted by divorce and other critical factors, mental illness and drug or alcohol assumption. Although, the children learn wrong things and start taking drugs to make their mind stress free. Living in a crime area can be stressful and some people may turn to drugs for soothing their fears and worries. Similarly, living in an environment in which drug use is extensive, may also increase the addiction.
- Trauma: Most people feel insecure as sometimes they exposed to trauma, including physical altercation, sexual abuse, verbal abuse, neglect, accidents, natural disasters, terrorism and so on. According to National Child Traumatic Stress Network, one in four American children experienced at least one event in their life. All these events leave marks on their mind and make them mentally sick. These types of person take drugs to remove older memories from their mind.
- Mental illness: Mental illness is a strongest disease that can provoke to use drugs. According to the survey, one-half of all drug abusers are dealing with mental illness issues. In this illness, people attempt to deal with distress and pain. Once a person can build a strong connection with drugs, it can be difficult to break without doctors or someone help.
- Influence of peers: Many of friends and relatives can influenced to children or adults by their peers. They force them to take drugs, whether they want or not. It is often seen that most of the teens used to take drugs when they are in friend circle. To accompany their friends and blend with the crowd, young children use drugs.