Are Drug Addicts Born Susceptible?

My husband and I are in the Addiction Recovery field, he more so than I. We work at facility called Therapia here in St. George. Something that I’ve wondered about for a number of years is the cause or reasons behind depression, addiction, and other things having to do with the mind. Since starting work (less than a year ago) at Therapia I have learned a little bit, but the information is overwhelming.

My brother in law committed suicide in 2002 and I remember it being such a sensitive topic and no one really wanted to discuss it. My ex husband was angry with him for doing such a thing to himself and to his family. We had a counselor come in and talk to us as a family and explain that depression is a disease. An illness of the mind. While medications can help to suppress these feelings, they can’t take the illness away. It’s like putting a bandaid on a scrape. It just covers or masks the injury, but does not necessarily heal it.

Fast forward a number of years of marriage and I found myself in a relationship with an addict. Twenty-one years, give or take some. During those years I wondered and questioned, but couldn’t understand why my ex-husband “wouldn’t” give up his addiction. Counselors, bishops, weekly meetings, programs; nothing was working. At least not well enough for me. He wasn’t willing to make the changes. Or was it that he “couldn’t” make the changes? One counselor said it was again, an illness of the mind. Long story short, I left that relationship and am now in another relationship (which is fabulous) and have been able to learn a few things. I am by no means an expert, but I have a desire to understand those that I work with in recovery and what causes this to happen to them, and not to others.

My husband posted this on his facebook page and I found it interesting. It talks a little bit about the brain and how some are more susceptible to addiction to others. We all have DNA passed down to us from our parents. Some have blue eyes. Others have brown. Some have dark hair and still others blonde, red, or any shade in between. Some are short. Some are tall. Well, you get the idea. Those are things that we will all have for life. We also have seen reports about genetics being linked to the probability of having diseases such as cancer and even Parkinson's Disease, just to name a couple.

Research is now on board saying that addiction is 50% heritable. It is in our genes and as such can determine the way our brain develops and responds to stimuli such as stress and pain. Outside sources can influence the addict brain and create situations, if will, that can make that person more vulnerable to depression, low self esteem, and hopelessness. Most addicts get involved with drugs to escape those situations that they find unbearable. Alcohol, drugs, sex, pornography; anything to stimulate that “feel good” part of the brain. This practice will exacerbate the problem and damage the brain, causing the need for more. But that is for another discussion. Addiction is truly a vicious cycle.

I found this segment interesting and feel that it is an example of cogent reasoning. The brain is very complicated and controls everything we feel and do, both voluntarily and involuntarily. We are all born with certain genes that cause us to be a certain way. Things that we cannot change about ourselves. I do know that it is an initial voluntary choice to use drugs or alcohol, however, once certain triggers have been touched, it's harder for some to turn them off. It takes counseling, medicine, willpower (which is very hard to come by at times), and courage. We cannot control the genetic predisposition we have been born with, but we can learn to say no to begin with. We cannot control the consequences of our choices any more than a drug addict born with a predisposition for this disease. We cannot decide to have high blood pressure, Parkinson's disease or cancer. Those genetics are there, choices or not. I have so much to learn but find this topic very interesting.