SearchA Genetic Predisposition to Pleasure
Part of your genetic makeup includes a predisposition to pleasure which your brain responds to by releasing dopamine, a neurotransmitter. Therefore, the potential for addiction is already hardwired into our brains. The question is how your brain reacts whenever a substance causes it to release dopamine. Another thing to consider is how you react whenever your brain craves that dopamine. Even if you are hardwired for addiction, you also have the ability to overcome the craving.
Family History
Does your family have a history of addiction? If so, you may have been conditioned to growing up around drug or alcohol abuse. While this may not be genetic, it definitely has a psychological impact that can affect how you handle drugs or alcohol as you get older. Consider some of the family factors, including:
- Violence as a result of drug or alcohol use
- One or more parents who could not hold down a job
- Divorce in the family due to alcoholism
- Alcohol always present in the house with regular binges
- Ongoing run-ins with the law
Was alcohol a regular part of your family life? What about your extended family – uncles, grandparents, cousins, in-laws?
Is Addiction a Disease?
Whether addiction is a disease is still being debated. What is important to remember is that, regardless of your genetics, your upbringing, or whether it is a disease is that you can overcome all of these barriers to recovery by getting the right treatment. Substance abuse disorder treatment includes a wide range of options, such as:
- Dual diagnosis treatment
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Inpatient treatment
- Individual therapy
- Dialectical behavioral treatment
- Holistic treatment
Once you find the right treatment, you begin your path to recovery. No matter what led you to addiction, there is always a way out with the help of a professional who cares about your recovery.
