What's To Blame For Addiction?

With the many things that plague our society, drugs are no doubt one of the most influential, and these substances have negatively impacted the lives of almost everyone. Though hard to believe, this can be demonstrated through a very simple poll. If I was to go before a group of people and state "raise your hand if you or someone you know has been negatively affected by substance abuse," the vast majority of people would raise their hands, myself included. This is because, as presented by the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, with the inclusion of tobacco and alcohol, nearly 60.2% of Americans that are of ages 12 and older are abusing drugs. For most, this is a hard pill to swallow. 

An image that shows an array of drugs in pill form

So this then raises the question: why is it that there are people that can use these substances recreationally and socially, while others fall victim to addiction? Many would like to point the finger at irresponsibility and carelessness, however, the issue of addiction goes much deeper than that. Because biological, as well as environmental, concepts have a heavy influence on addiction, and that they can actually help explain why there are so many people that suffer with addiction, while others don't at all. 

The first important concept that I feel needs to be presented in order to properly assert that irresponsibility is not at fault of addiction is the effects of environmental factors on addiction. Firstly, to understand how environmental factors influence addiction, we must look into how a person doesn't neccessarily choose the environment they grow up in. If they are born into an environment that is surrounded by drugs and alcohol, the odds might be stacked against them, which is unfortunate because growing up in such an environment is out of their ability entirely. 

The environmental factors that a person endures can lead to the likelihood of whether or not someone will become addicted to drugs. According to Heads Up, the important environmental factors that can determine whether or not someone becomes addicted to drugs include their home and family life, the availability of drugs, and peer pressure.

When it comes to home and family life, a person who is not monitored enough by parents is at a higher risk of addiction compared to those who live in a family environment where there are set ground rules and constant supervision, which act as limiting factors for the growth potential of addiction. There is also the availibility of drugs. The more drugs that are available to an individual, the more likely they are to become addicted to drugs. Pertaining to peer pressure, again these concepts apply. Peer pressure acts almost as a catalyzing environmental factor that increases the likelihood of becoming addicted to drugs. If a person lives in an environment where there is constant peer pressure to take drugs, then the more likely the individual is to become addicted to drugs. However, if an individual is not faced with peer pressure on a constant basis, then they are less likely to engage in drug use, decreasing their likelihood of becoming addicted to drugs.

 

Image depicting peer pressure 

It is important for us to realize however that environmental factors can only hold so much value as a causing effect of addiction. This is because, though at first they are the driving force behind people becoming addicted to drugs, as time progresses, it is genetics that becomes the leading cause of addiction issues.

When it comes to humans, the other thing that must be presented to better understand why irresponsibility is not the leading cause of addiction is the effects of genetics on addiction. Researchers have found that genetics actually account for around half of a person's predisposition, or the likelihood of a person to suffer from a condition, to addiction. The National Institute on Drug Abuse found that roughly 40% to 60% of a person's susceptibility to substance abuse is caused solely by genetics. This has led to many to argue for addiction to be treated and classified as a disease due to its predisposition ability, which has led to much controversy, as many still believe that addiction cannot be inheritable. To better understand how addiction can be passed down from generation to generation, we can look into the genetic predisposition of other diseases. 

Image shows DNA, which consists of segments of genes, which can undergo
variation and cause addiction

Predisposition and the inheritance of diseases from parents is mainly caused by variation in genetics. In an example provided by the National Library of Medicine, a mutation in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes can elevate the chances of risk a person has to develop breast and ovarian cancer. This allows us to gain an understanding of how this concept applies to addiction. Certain genetic variations and mutations in a person can lead to a genetic makeup that if expressed would cause addiction issues, and if a parent is to pass the genes on to their children, and these genes end up being expressed, then the children, like their parents, are also at an increased risk of addiction. More specific examples are provided by Learn.Genetics, such as variations in the Per1 and Per2 genes where Mice with these variations drink more alcohol than normal, especially when stressed, as well as an example where the absence of a gene called moody in Fruit Flies leads to them being more sensitive to cocaine, and this is because moody codes for proteins that are needed for maintaining a healthy blood-brain barrier. This could be a detrimental issue, as it leads to a feeling of uncertainty of how to solve the problem of addiction due to genetics making it appear as inevitable to avoid. 

From what we now know about addiction, trying to understand how to prevent it will be a continuous issue due to its complexity. I feel that approaching the environmental factors that cause addiction is a much easier task. This can be done by emphasizing a healthy living environment at home for children and by providing caution to the world about the effects peer pressure can have on the likelihood of addiction. I feel that approaching the genetics of addiction is a much more difficult task however. One thing that researchers can do is focus on the gene product, or the protein, and develop a drug that able to alter its activity. There has also been a rise is the development of gene therapies in order to treat addiction. One specifically, as presented from Learn.Genetics (mentioned previously), is being tested in mice by generating antibodies that trap methamphetamine, resulting in it being blocked from reaching the brain. I think the best way that we can try to prevent addiction is to provide knowledge to those at risk at a young age, that way they can grow to learn and gain knowledge of how to avoid becoming addicted to substances, and ultimately reduce the likelihood of addiction. Despite all of this, it is important to understand that addiction is a growing issue, and will likely take years to solve how to handle it.