Tired of reading? Listen instead!

by Max

Addiction is one of the most serious problems humanity has ever faced during the course of history, and the reasons behind it vary from one individual to another.

What you are going to read below are most influential ones as to why people abuse certain substances. This is not a complete list, as there are many reasons why people become addicts. But these are often the likely causes.

So, let’s explore the top 8 reasons behind the most common types of addiction.

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#1 Curiosity

This is one common scenario between most alcoholics and drug addicts as it all starts with intriguing typical questions like,

“Why do people like smoking?”
“Is cocaine as good as my friends are claiming?”

And then what follows is making that not-so-safe decision of trying the substance as long as it is not that “harmful” to try just a tiny bit and for once. This how everything starts. The first tries will quench their curiosity and they will get to know how it feels to smoke or get high. The problem is that it never stops there.

Smoking or taking drugs will seem like a harmless activity until that very minute comes in which the smoker or drug addict feels the urge to use a bit more of the substance in order to feel better.

Things get out of control when the usual amount of substance cease to satisfy the addict. And now they need to increase the quantity just to feel “normal” again, creating this way a new problem of its own.

As you can see, these kinds of choices are mostly voluntary. But once that choice has been made, it’s the point of no return for those who have an addictive personality.

#2 Loneliness

Addiction is partially the product of loneliness and isolation. When a person stays alone for a long period of time, they will start thinking that by smoking or drinking, they might feel less lonely.

This latter factor reflects a lack of interaction with the social surroundings which may result in turning to drugs and alcohol to feel positive every now and then.

No matter how strong they resist, while being alone, drug addicts would always feel a strong temptation to take drugs again. Share on X

#3 Dissatisfaction

A lot of people turn to their substances simply because they are unsatisfied with the life they are living. They feel that they are the victims of their own self-made plots and that they will find solace by drinking or taking drugs.

You usually find this kind of people stuck at jobs they don’t enjoy or with to people they don’t love. And, because of the regular dissatisfaction they feel, drugs and alcohol will represent the perfect escape from the real world. An escape that is brief and efficient, where they will forget their sufferings. At least, for a while.

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#4 Stress

A lot of people consider drugs (or other habits they are addicted to) as a source of stress relief. Share on X

They believe that a glass of wine or a couple of pills will give them the right amount or relaxation and peace of mind to be prepared for the challenges of the next day.

For them, these substances will allow them to forget the hardships that they had to face during the day. Maybe they have had a bad day at work, or had a fight with someone close to them. Drugs can give them a feeling of being strong again, after being weak.

#5 Peer Pressure

One significant reason behind addiction, is the pressure that comes from the social circle of the addict. Social surroundings, like friends and partners, play a major role in a person’s addiction.

They could feel that by not smoking or drinking, they might get rejected from that specific circle in which they feel comfortable. And then certain negative habits start to emerge. These are the habits that lead to addiction. A situation most people do not want end up living, but still do if they choose to stay with a toxic peer group.

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#6 Family Problems

Family problems can push people to run away, and to stay alone as a way to try to forget the constant noise and family fights.

The addiction begins when they start using substances to distance themselves from these issues. In order not to get affected by these problems, they want to feel as numb as possible, and drugs or alcohol help them do that.

#7 Constant Pain

Certain patients develop addictions because of the intensity of the pain they are feeling. At the same time, ignoring that they are creating a new form of pain which might be even worse than the one they are trying to cure or cover.

This kind of addiction usually starts by a medical prescription. The patient feels better, as if they are being cured, and can finally enjoy a peaceful night of sleep.

But the real problem begins when the medicine start losing its healing effect. Now the patient is obliged to double the dose in order to feel better and get rid of the pain.

At some point, perscription medicine will no longer do the trick, and they will start looking for something stronger, like opiates. Share on X

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#8 Role Models

Some people become addicts after being influenced negatively by the people they admire the most. Such as their role models, or even their fathers and mothers. Since they fixed their standard on the basis of the behavior of these people, every action performed by them will be indirectly perceived as something favorable to do, and will be copied.

So, if the role model decided one day to start smoking, then there is a chance that the people they inspire may develop the same habit. And the addict will not think of this as something negative, since their role model is doing the same.

Conclusion

Developing an addiction is one of the worst things that can ever happen to someone. These kind of habits influence the addicts’ nature and lifestyle in a negative way, and turn them into a totally different version from the person they aspire to become.

It is extremely important to diagnose yourself, and to keep track of your bad habits so they don’t turn into addictions. And keep an eye on your social surroundings, for they play a major role in shaping your behavior, and with it – your future.