Among the most destructive social issues facing modern society, few are as destructive as drug addiction. Millions of people in America are currently affected by drug addiction, tens of millions adversely affected while the entire economy suffers from the cost of treatment and loss of labor caused by drug addiction. By definition, drug addiction is a psychological disorder that is said to happen when the abuse of a legal or illegal drug affects an individual’s ability to perform rationally (Layman, 2013). According to available commentary, the leading cause of drug addiction is genetic predisposition which makes some individuals especially susceptible to addiction (Bevilacqua & Goldman, 2009). However, an argument can be made that drug addiction is caused by access to drugs and the opportunity to use them hence with the right access, anyone can be an addict. Finally, drug addiction is caused by social problems that push some people to abuse drugs as a means of escape, hence getting addicted. Drug addiction is a serious societal menace caused by genetic predisposition, with access to drugs and social problems being merely secondary factors .
The primary cause of drug addiction is a genetic predisposition that not only makes some people prone to drug abuse but also susceptible to addiction. Available research and commentary point to family ties as a major risk factor for drug abuse (Bevilacqua & Goldman, 2009). Normally, when a member of the family is addicted to drugs, there is a very high chance that more members of the same family will be addicted to drugs. At the same time, when no member of a family is addicted to drugs, even if one member abuses drugs, the chances of overcoming use before an addiction ensues is higher. Psychologists have established that genetics play a crucial role in human behavior and even human temperaments. Two people who have grown up in the same environment can react differently based on the same issue due to their genetic makeup (Bevilacqua & Goldman, 2009). Perhaps the most important reason that drug addiction is caused by genetic predisposition lies in the fact that it is no longer just narcotics that one can be addicted to. Among the greatest drug addiction epidemics facing the world today is based on legal prescription drugs. Genetics determine the difference between those who use prescription drugs as prescribed and those who abuse them and end up with addictions (Layman, 2013). Whereas there might be secondary causation factors leading to drug addiction and in most cases, a chain of causation, genetics is the primary cause of drug addiction.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Drug addiction has also been touted as having been mainly caused by environmental factors including access to drugs and the opportunity to take them. Purveyors of this argument rely on the fact that it is impossible to have a drug addiction of there is not drugs to abuse. Further, peer pressure and bad company have also been closely associated with drug abuse and subsequent addiction (Layman, 2013). Further, in the areas where a lot of drug peddling takes place such as inner-city estates and border towns, drug addiction has been known to be higher. The instant argument is plausible and its contributing factor as a cause for drug addiction cannot be ignored. However, upon careful evaluation, it seems like more a cause for drug abuse than drug addiction. After all, many drug abusers are habitual or recreational users but not addicts. In most cases, it will genetic predisposition will be necessary to addiction to ensue, even if there is drug abuse (Layman, 2013).
Finally, a strong argument has been made that social problems are the leading cause of drug addiction has affected members of the community abuse drugs to escape their social issues. The proponents of this argument base it in the fact that most drug abusers have an underlying social problem that is pushing them to abuse drugs leading to addictions (Blanding, 2019). For example, those who are very poor may take drugs to avoid the vagaries of poverty. Those having family problems may abuse drugs to avoid the pain of the family issues. On the other hand, those who suffer chronic pain due to sickness or injury may abuse prescription drugs due to the stress caused by the ailment (Layman, 2013). Once again, it cannot be denied that social problems and the desire to escape them lead to drug abuse and by extension addiction. However, almost all people, be they reach or poor have social problems. Genetic predisposition plays a major role in determining how people are affected by problems and how they react to them. This determination includes whether they will abuse drugs and also, whether they will abuse enough drugs for a period long enough to get addicted.
It is definitive form the totality of the above that drug addiction is primarily caused by genetic predisposition although access to drugs and social problems also contribute to the same. It is important to note as has been evident from the analysis and discussion above that drug addiction is not an automatic consequence of drug abuse. Instead, it happens when the abuse of drugs becomes debilitating enough to be considered as a substance abuse disorder. Genetic predisposition is a major factor not only in causing the abuse of drugs but also making the same abuse protracted enough to lead to an addiction. Secondary factors also play a role in drug addiction. Among the important secondary factors is the availability of drugs coupled with the pressure to abuse them. Conversely, social problems may also foster a desire to abuse drugs as a means of escape and the proclivity to keep abusing until an addiction ensues. The two are, however, secondary factors with genetic predisposition being the primary cause of drug abuse.
References
Bevilacqua, L., & Goldman, D. (2009). Genes and addictions. Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics , 85 (4), 359-361
Blanding, M. (2019, April 17). Breaking the Stress and Drug Abuse Connection. Retrieved from https://now.tufts.edu/articles/breaking-stress-and-drug-abuse-connection
Lyman, M. D. (2013). Drugs in Society: Causes, Concepts, and Control . New York: Routledge.
