Consuming drugs is a fact that ends up taking its toll, both for the people who take it and, collaterally, for those around them. Although anyone is susceptible to this addiction, there are some characteristics that make some more susceptible to developing addiction than others.
The different psychological studies agree that there are some common profiles regarding drug users. This does not mean that it is always faithfully observed, but it can help us to recognize when a person is in a risky situation and, therefore, help us to prevent it..
One of the conclusions of studies is that men are often more likely to use illegal drugs, such as cannabis or cocaine. Women, for their part, tend to turn to other types of drugs, such as tranquilizers.
Obviously, this is not always the case, but it is something that studies determine that it occurs with some frequency. Beyond these differences, which have a more sociological component, there are also psychological factors that intervene in its development..
People who have low self-esteem may fall into consuming these substances to seek a false sense of well-being. This is very common especially in adolescents, who end up consuming them due to pressure from the environment and their peer group..
Low tolerance for frustration is one of the most common causes. This means that there are people who are not able to tolerate suffering well or who have few psychological tools to solve their problems..
In this way, they seek an escape route through substances that alter their perception of reality, in order to avoid facing it. It is also usually a way of attracting the attention of these people, especially when they feel that they are not capable of solving their problems alone..
The fact that there is another family member who is an addict in the home is another risk factor that can lead to a subject becoming a drug user. This occurs because individuals tend to copy our reference models and their behaviors.
It is something that is also more likely to occur when the person comes from unstructured environments, especially in the case that their parents have developed some type of addiction and have therefore seen it as something common in their day to day.
Regarding this situation, it also usually occurs in cases where friends or people close to us use drugs. In this way, it is easier for us to associate their consumption with something that is not negative and we end up accepting it and even consuming them..
This situation is very frequent, especially in the case of young people and adolescents who seek to be accepted. In these cases, we must be very alert to who are the friends who accompany our children, as they can become a bad example for them to follow..
Another common situation in which people can resort to this type of substance is when they have stress problems, or if they are in a period of change and adaptation that is not being easy.
In both cases, there are those who rely on both legal and illegal drugs, thinking that it is something temporary until the problem passes. However, they can end up developing a strong dependency and addiction.
On a physical level, there are also some possible causes that determine that people end up developing a greater addiction to these substances. This is the case of those individuals who have a low level of dopamine in the brain.
Dopamine is a substance that is responsible for controlling emotions, so they usually feel pleasure and a comforting sensation when using drugs. If they have a low level of this neurotransmitter, they can end up hooking more easily.
Therefore, it is important to know that the brain mechanisms involved in this type of addiction are independent of the psychological and social characteristics of the person, which means that anyone can develop an addiction.
So, although none of these characteristics have to assume that a person develops an addiction, it is possible to identify those that can be a risk factor and make a person more susceptible than another to develop drug addiction.
In summary, although we are all susceptible to end up suffering an addiction, there are some risk factors that must be taken into account on a sociological, psychological and physical level. Knowing them can help us prevent that we end up having a problem of this type.
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