Why Some People Struggle with Addiction and Some Do Not

By Thomas G. Kimball, PhD | Published 4/5/2020 2

Addicted young man with cigarette 1500 x 911

Photo source: Adobe Photos

When severe substance use disorder or addiction strikes, it often has devastating consequences to individuals, families, and communities across our nation. The recent to attention the opioid epidemic raises the question: why do some people struggle with addiction and some do not?

It is human nature to try to figure out the root cause of the crisis. Unfortunately, the search to find what causes addiction may lead to blaming one source over another. This adds to its stereotype and myth.

What causes addiction?

As a clinician who works with individuals and families who are making the transition from active addiction toward a pathway of wellness and recovery, I am often asked what causes addiction.

Most individuals and family members who are seeking to understand why this is happening to them, and those they love, are earnest and desperate to find answers. Many of them are coping with the loss of sons, daughters, fathers, and mothers who have died from the disease of addiction.

Others are in a state of manic fear as they reach out for help in their difficulty and suffering before the disease takes their own life or that of a loved one. Although there are no easy answers to these questions, being able to discuss the complexities of the disease is helpful in alleviating blame, frustration, and fear.

There are many parties, in the recovery and mental health field, who point to specific biological, psychological, and social factors contributing to someone developing and suffering from addiction.

Addiction is a chronic brain disease, that is clear.1 However, like most diseases, the formation of the disease of addiction is complicated and complex. In my mind, addiction is best explained by the biopsychosocial model.

Related content:
If You Believe These Addiction Myths, You Are Part of the Problem

Is Cryptocurrency an Emerging Behavioral Addiction?
Vaping Could Put Youth at Risk for Complications of COVID-19

The biopsychosocial model 

Before we discuss its application to addiction, a working knowledge of the components of the biopsychosocial model is important. Created by George Engel and John Romano in the 1970’s to help physicians understand the holistic nature of disease formation, the biopsychosocial model compelled clinicians to consider the biological, psychological, and social “dimensions” of illnesses.2

The biological components of illnesses are incredibly important to understand. However, an over-focus on biology can promote seeing patients as objects instead of within the multiple social contexts and internal psychological factors impacting diseases.

The more “subjective” elements of a person’s life, the psychological and social, are incredibly important to be considered and can be studied and measured. This study can encompass disease prevention, disease formation, and the healing and recovery from disease.2

  • Biological factors

Within the model, the “biological” considers the genetics of an individual. This includes the vulnerability or susceptibility an individual has to different illnesses and disease processes due to genetic factors.

Beyond this, the biological includes our gender, brain functioning, and the general functioning of the body. An example of functioning impacting general health includes someone with a physical disability, someone who experiences chronic pain, or both.

  • Psychological

The “psychological” part of the biopsychosocial model encompasses thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. When stress is present in the environment, the psychological dimension informs how people experience, feel, manage and deal with that stress. 

Understanding how we cope with the stress in our life is essential in considering the prevention of diseases, disease formation, and healing. Psychological factors that are important to consider in the model also include identity and self-esteem as well as attitudes, memories, and beliefs.

More Information on Addiction:
Vaping Could Put Youth at Risk for Complications of COVID-19

  • Social factors

Social factors also contribute to disease prevention, formation, and healing. Components include elements such as,

        • socioeconomic status
        • religion
        • family peer groups
        • social support
        • other relationships
        • traditions
        • culture

All are included in understanding the whole person. For example, experiencing trauma within our social environment can impact both our psychological and biological well being and vice-versa.

The biopsychosocial model of addiction

To answer the question(s) about the origins of the brain disease of addiction and what causes it, we, as professionals within the field, must be able to explain the complicated factors associated with disease.

Foremost, biological factors including genetic predisposition play a role in all diseases including addiction. For whatever reasons, not of our choosing, we are born with our genetic makeup and must deal with both the strengths and weaknesses of what is passed down to us through our genetic line.

What this means is that some people have a stronger genetic “pull” to suffer from addiction than others. Some people may not have any susceptibility at all. In individuals who have less of a genetic pull, psychological and social factors may interact to provide the context where the disease of addiction manifests.

Comparing addiction to diabetes

The best parallel I have found to help those who suffer and those who love them is a comparison between addiction and diabetes. Some diabetics, mostly Type I Diabetics, have a strong genetic susceptibility. Some will develop diabetes early in life. 

Others, mostly Type II Diabetics, may have less of a genetic pull and often manifest the disease later in life. Factors that contribute to the onset of this type of diabetes include psychological and social factors such as stress, diet, exercise, etc.

Although different, both Type I and Type II diabetics must deal with the ramifications of having the disease of diabetes.

The influence of psychological factors on addiction

In addition to the biological, psychological factors influence disease formation. This is seen in the connection between the prevalence of mental health disorders and addiction.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports:

“Many people who are addicted to drugs are also diagnosed with other mental disorders and vice versa. For example, compared with the general population, people addicted to drugs are roughly twice as likely to suffer from mood and anxiety disorders, with the reverse also true.”2

Thus, the psychological factors leading to depression and anxiety disorders impact the creation of the disease of addiction and vice versa.

How one internally manages and copes with the stressors of life certainly impacts anxiety and depression symptoms. Often these symptoms pre-date the initial use and subsequent suffering from addiction. In fact, alcohol and drug use may begin as a powerful and readily available coping mechanism to deal with fear, stress, crises of identity, and low self-esteem.

Related Content:
Myths About Alcohol Addiction in Native Americans
Advice for People In Recovery During the Holidays

Social dimensions can be protective

Social dimensions can serve as protective factors of disease formation as well as contribute to addiction manifesting. Additionally, social factors are incredibly important in the healing and recovery for those who suffer from addiction.

In my clinical experience, pain derived from social factors is the most common element distinguishing between those who suffer from addiction and those who are pursuing a recovery journey. The source of the pain can come from a variety of social contexts (e.g., family, peers, community, culture, etc.).

Trauma, in all its forms, is experienced by most people who suffer from addiction. Social factors should never be used to blame families for the disease of addiction. I am, however, pointing out that social factors do play a role in the context of disease formation. More importantly, social factors, including healthy family interaction and social support, are critical in recovery from addiction.

The bottom line

In conclusion, it is important to note that no one factor is the “cause” of addiction. There are multiple culprits and, as stated earlier, all are complex and complicated. The culprits are biological, psychological, and social in nature.

The “cure” for those who suffer must be equivalent in complexity and holistic to tackle all three dimensions. Recovery and healing from addiction must consider the biological, psychological, and social.  Anything less will continue to result in poor outcomes and more suffering.

Additional stories by this author: 
Why pornography is so powerfully addictive
Why we should stop random drug testing
Methadone and suboxone for heroin recovery

**Love our stories? SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER so you never miss one!


References
  1. Kimball, T.G. Addiction is a Chronic Disease Not a Character Flaw 
  2. Borrell-Carrió, F., Suchman, A. L., & Epstein, R. M. (2004). The Biopsychosocial Model 25 Years Later: Principles, Practice, and Scientific Inquiry. Annals of Family Medicine, 2(6), 576–582. httpss://doi.org/10.1370/afm.245
  3. National Institute on Drug Abuse 
 

First published March 26, 2018, the post was reviewed and updated for republication.

Thomas G. Kimball, PhD

Website: http://www.thisismap.com/

Thomas G. Kimball, Ph.D., LMFT, is the George C. Miller Family Regents Professor at Texas Tech University and the Director of the Center for Collegiate Recovery Communities. Dr. Kimball has been part of the MAP team since 2012 and serves as Clinical Director, where he oversees and consults on the implementation of extended recovery modalities, techniques, and practices on individuals who undergo treatment for Substance Use Disorder (SUD).

He has received numerous teaching awards for his courses on families, addiction, & recovery. He is the author of several peer-reviewed articles on addiction and recovery in respected medical journals, a frequent contributor to leading addiction and recovery publications online, and co-authored the book,
Six Essentials to Achieve Lasting Recovery, by Hazelden Press.

In addition to consulting and presenting on recovery-related issues across the U.S. and internationally, he frequently writes articles pertaining to emerging addiction recovery data, recovery techniques and modalities, the science behind addiction, the addiction crisis, and long term treatment for the chronic disease of addiction.

Dr. Kimball has made the focus of his career studying collegiate and long term addiction recovery by focusing on factors that enhance long term recovery and improve the treatment industry at a local, national, and international level. Follow him @drtomkimball

Comments:

  • One of the most abused and readily available drugs is actually alcohol. Most people don’t know what professionals in the rehab industry know: alcohol is also the dirtiest drug.

  • Drug addiction is rarely arrested without the help of an addiction treatment program or a stay at a residential drug addiction treatment facility.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comment will held for moderation