Risk factors
Substance addiction can be influenced by many factors, such as:
- genetic vulnerability and family history
- environmental stressors including work, family and relationships
- social and peer pressure
- individual personality characteristics
- experiencing other mental health conditions
Causes
There are many reasons why people engage in substance misuse and other unhealthy behaviour. For many sufferers of addiction, using drugs and alcohol becomes a learned way of coping with their issues, instead of reaching out to someone or seeking a healthy solution to manage grief.
Addictive disorders are caused by many factors, such as:
- Genetic vulnerability and family history
- Environmental stressors including work, family and relationships
- Social and peer pressure
- Individual personality characteristics and psychiatric problems
