An Overview of Addiction

How do you start addiction recovery? One of the most common questions that is asked in the field of addiction treatment and recovery is “How do addictions start?” or “What causes addiction to occur?” To answer the first question- just about anything can trigger an addiction, even something as simple as attending a social gathering.  In most cases, just experimenting with a drug for the first time can lead to the onset of an addiction.

What causes addiction? First of all, you have to understand that substance dependency can be psychological as well as physical.  One school of thought claims that some underlying behavioral or mental disorder causes addiction.  Anxiety, depression, and other conditions or disorders are viewed as the culprits.  Conversely, another school of thought feels that it is the addiction that causes the disorder.

There have been numerous theories as to what actually causes substance abuse and dependency, including:

  • body image and self-esteem
  • genetic predisposition
  • peer pressure
  • stress

For many individuals who are suffering with drug abuse and addiction issues, they may never know the actual cause for the reasons mentioned above or because they don’t get professional help for their problems.  Many of them do not know how to start addiction recovery, so they get frustrated and give up.

Addiction is not selective and a wide audience of individuals in the US is currently suffering with either abuse or addiction issues.  Current statistics indicate that:

  • There are roughly 25 million Americans who are suffering from drug abuse problems and addiction.
  • Roughly 40% of them are in need of immediate attention, but only 10% of that total audience will ever get it.
  • Sadly, up to 25% of that total number will eventually die.
  • Some 5% or 6% of them by committing suicide.

Getting Started on the Road to Recovery

What you need to remember is that overcoming your addiction and heading down the road to long-lasting recovery starts with you and you only.  If you are here reading this, then you have already taken the first step – admitting that you have a problem and need help.  The admission may have come from a number of sources:

  • family members or friends
  • an intervention
  • job loss
  • self-identification

The bottom line is that the source of the admission is not as important as the fact that you are now searching for professional help.

Let Our Referral Service Help You

The Rehab Advisor is the premier addiction treatment referral website.  We list the most successful addiction treatment and recovery programs throughout the US, so no matter where you live, we can refer you into a program in your local vicinity.  For more information about our referral site and our addiction recovery programs, fill out the e-mail form above or call the toll-free phone number at the top of the e-mail form.