Addictions and substance abuse

Overview

If someone is experiencing difficulties with alcohol and other drugs or activities such as gambling, sex, internet use, eating, or social media, it can have a negative impact on their physical and mental health, their relationships, their work life and other areas of their life. Even when it may not appear ‘physically’ addictive, the influence over the person’s behaviour can appear very similar. Misuse and addiction can also cause psychological and physical withdrawal, higher-tolerance, and a loss of self-control.

The factors which might cause misuse and addiction are complicated and can relate to many different areas of life. These areas may be physical or mental health, social norms, biological or genetic factors, or stressors at work or home. The idea that misuse and addiction are ‘pleasure-seeking’ behaviours is more based in stigma than reality. Misuse and addiction can debilitate someone’s livelihood, completely against their own will. People experiencing difficulties with alcohol, other drugs, or activities have aspirations like anyone else, and deserve sustained abstinence and stable lives.

“Finding a new life on the other side of problematic substance use is a magical experience. I now have actually taken the time to stop, understand who I am and what I want in life, as well as let go of a whole lot of things that I had anchored in that no longer serve me and my purpose.” – Graig Worland

This information provides an overview of what misuse and addiction may look like, how they can affect someone’s life, how many people they affect, and where to get help.

Causes of addiction disorders

The cause of someone’s addiction is often very complicated and personal. This section offers some insight into how someone may become addicted, but is not meant as a hard-and-fast guide that covers all bases.

There are many reasons someone may try an addictive substance (like stimulants) or an addictive behaviour (like gambling). Here are a few:

• They help people fit into social groups
• They provide relief from other stressful things in life, like work, family, school, or relationships
• Peer-pressure
• Self-medicating for other mental or physical health conditions

Taking drugs, or trying a form of gambling, does not necessarily mean that someone will become an ‘addict’. There are many factors that contribute to prolonged substance-use; they could be biological, neurological, psychological, or social. Some people may be more vulnerable than others to developing an addictive disorder. However, it is clear that people do not abuse drugs or other behaviours because they are ‘hedonistic’ or lazy. Addictive behaviours or substances can affect anyone, and are often influenced by circumstances that are impossible to control.

Neurological influences

After prolonged drug or alcohol-use, the brain may crave or ‘want’ a substance, regardless of someone’s intentions or goals. This process is called ‘neural sensitisation’, and is caused by the overstimulation of dopamine pathways in the brain. When these pathways change over time, certain environments or situations can trigger cravings in people experiencing substance-use disorder. Basically, the brain may associate drug taking with certain places, memories, or people, which can then stimulate the urge to use.

Psychological influences

In the short term, substances and addictive behaviours can provide relief from other life problems. These problems may relate to someone’s emotional state, their wellbeing, their sense of self, or their relationships with other people. However, the positive sensation associated with the drug or activity, and the negative experience of withdrawal, often reinforces a belief that they are necessary to function day-to-day. This process is known as the ‘operant learning approach’, where someone believes that they incapable of functioning without access to one or more substances or behaviour.

Social causes

Drug taking does not occur in a vacuum. Substance abuse is often encouraged by the context that surrounds the activity, like friends, lifestyle choices, or financial situation. In some cases, abstaining from drugs or addictive behaviours is only possible when someone gives up relationships with other people. Social circles where substance-use is acceptable can encourage someone’s dependence, especially if the social circle revolves around drug taking. Someone may have to cut certain people out of their life, move to a different place, or get a different job in order to stay sober.