What Are the Leading Causes of Drug Abuse Among Americans?

Drug abuse is a problem that transcends ethnic, gender, class and cultural barriers. While there are a variety of reasons why people abuse drugs, certain factors like genetic predisposition and poor coping skills are usually present in most drug abusers to some extent.

Childhood Trauma

• According to Nih.gov, two-thirds of drug treatment patients report having been abused during childhood. Sexual, physical and emotional abuse and neglect all contribute to the overall outcome of drug abuse and addiction.

  While researchers aren't certain exactly what the connection is between childhood trauma and substance abuse, it appears there is a direct cause-and-effect relationship. For this reason, those with traumatic pasts should seek to resolve emotional issues through counseling or psychotherapy and should avoid substances like drugs and alcohol at all costs.

Family History

• People with a family history of drug addiction are more likely to develop drug abuse problems themselves. According to Drug-Addiction-Support.org, a combination of genetic and learned behavioral factors can contribute to drug abuse and addiction in members of the same family. If you have a family history of drug addiction or alcoholism, it's best to avoid drug use altogether, as abstinence is the only way to completely avoid all risk of drug abuse and addiction.

Self-Medication

• People self-medicate for many reasons. Perhaps they're not getting adequate pain management or suffer a mental disorder like anxiety or depression that is not being well controlled. Drug abuse allows people to escape from reality and avoid their physical or mental condition for a time, often leading to the desire to use more frequently. People may also use drugs as a means of coping with stressful life events or past trauma in lieu of healthy coping skills.

  Self-medicators would do well to uncover and address the underlying cause of their distress instead of trying to numb the symptoms with drugs and alcohol.

Sensation Seeking

• Some people abuse drugs as a means of escaping boredom and feeling excitement. These people are sometimes referred to as sensation seekers, and they may engage in other dangerous activities like skydiving or race car driving for the same purposes. What starts as harmless experimentation with drugs turns into drug abuse and eventual addiction if they aren't able to control the urge to use.

  Sensation seekers may benefit from exploring safer, healthier forms of entertainment and learning to accept boredom and under-stimulation as a normal part of life.

Peer Pressure

• Social and peer pressure can lead people to do things they wouldn't do otherwise. While usually considered a predominantly adolescent phenomenon, peer pressure affects adults as well. One example is "social drinking," in which a person drinks with the intention of easing social interaction because others are doing so.

  Some drug abusers begin using as a way to feel accepted and progress to abuse and addiction as time goes on. Those most prone to peer pressure usually have low self-esteem and a strong desire to be "part of the crowd" and would benefit from working on building a positive self image.