What Are the Psychological Causes of Drug Abuse?

Addiction is a brain illness characterized by compulsive substance use leading to negative consequences. It's a complicated condition with biological, psychological, and physical components that are difficult to manage. 

However, recovery is possible. When individuals talk about psychological addiction, they're usually referring to psychological dependence rather than addiction. People are naturally drawn to various intoxicants or substances that allow them to regain control of their mental state. People, often self-medicate which puts them in a dangerous situation. Hiding mental illness from others, including your doctor, increases the likelihood of substance usage. Sometimes unforeseen circumstances lead to Stress, Abuse, and post-traumatic stress disorders. These can also cause triggers that can lead to drug addiction.

Here are the top psychological causes of drug abuse...

1. Peer Pressure aka The Need For Fitting In

Most people, including teenagers, tend to fall into unhealthy habits because of their friends. Either that or the fact that they are surrounded by people who are doing drugs and want to “fit in”. Trying drugs for recreational purposes can lead to becoming addicted to drugs in no time. Mostly, people are coerced into trying new drugs or their friends make fun of them which leads to them feeling left out. These social situations can be draining at best and dangerous at worst, leading to unwanted drinking or drug use.

The power of peer pressure to push someone into an excessive behavior can be disrupted by the impression of repercussions, which may lower the likelihood of people succumbing to pressure to take more severe substances. Peer pressure might not only lead to risky short-term conduct, but it can also plant the seeds for long-term, harmful habits.

2. Parental impact

Childhood trauma and parental neglect form a strong connection with drug abuse. Parents who are strict pressurize their children by trying to mold them into being someone they want and others don’t pay attention to their children at all. In both situations, children tend to become distant. When they become distant, they look for a company that isn’t always good for them. Hence, being around people who occasionally abuse drugs gives them solace and comfort which parents fail to provide at home.

In some situations, there are genetic causes that lead to drug addiction. If a child watches a parent become an addict, then chances are that the child will grow up to become an addict too. Or addiction could be hereditary. 

3. Depression

Depression can make people do crazy things. One such thing may be indulging themselves in drug abuse. People who have mental illness have an altered state of mind. When mental illness co-occurs with drug abuse it is medically known as a co-occurring disorder. The best treatment for co-occurring disorders is dual-diagnosis treatment. This treatment addresses both your mental disorders and addiction disorders.

Here are some of the mental disorders that may occur along with drug abuse:

• Depression
• Eating disorders
• Schizophrenia
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, 
• Dissociation, 
• General Anxiety disorders, 

All these disorders need proper medical attention. You can seek professional help and go for dual-diagnosis treatment as this treatment will address both your mental illness and addiction. 

4. The Need To Get ‘High’

The psychological need to get high and feel like you are on cloud 9 can lead you to abuse drugs. Drugs can make a person forget about all their issues and trick them into believing that everything is fine in the world. The need to put behind all your troubles and go into a state of oblivion can overcome any reasonable thought that might come into your mind. Many people who are addicted to doing drugs use drugs as a way to escape from daily life. 

In The End…

Abusing drugs can never lead to a healthy, happy, and successful life. Drugs may make you think that there is nothing wrong with the world, but that feeling is just temporary and will fade quickly. If you think that your drug abuse is getting out of hand and you are now facing some mental issues along with your addiction, it is high time to visit an addiction treatment center near you. The best treatment for a person suffering from mental health disorders and drug addiction is dual-diagnosis treatment. ChoicePoint in Fair Lawn is a Telehealth urgent care clinic that provides dual-diagnosis treatment to the residents of New Jersey.