Who Develops Addiction?

Addiction is a disease that millions of people around the world struggle with on a daily basis. The root causes of addiction have been misunderstood throughout time, but the topic has been the focus of a number of studies over the years. Thanks to these studies we have started to build an understanding of what kinds of things make people more or less susceptible to addiction and addictive behaviors.   

Addiction is a complex issue and our understanding of it will continue to change as it is studied further. Looking at the research already conducted in this area, however, allows us to see different life factors and behaviors with strong links to increased risk or susceptibility of addiction.

Here at Sunrise House

We wanted to take the data these studies provided and compile them into an easy-to-use tool that will help people discover and educate themselves on what kinds of risk factors they might be facing in their own lives.

To that end, we have compiled data and conclusions from more than 20 different sources focusing on the data and science of addiction to create the following interactive resource.

Users can select from six different larger lifestyle and behavior categories that contribute to increased addiction risk including genetics, sexual orientation, both youth and adult environment, and youth and adult behaviors. Within each category, there are specific risk factors that users can select. The user will then be shown the findings of a study that focused on that factor as well as information on the study itself in case they wish to learn more.

Users will then be able to navigate to other categories and factors to see the data on any further items that apply to them. When they are finished, they will be shown a page that compiles all of their risk factors and the data behind them.

For those interested in learning about how these factors can impact themselves or others without running through the specifics, we have also compiled every data point into more traditional graphics, once again grouping them by the larger categories they fall under.

These categories cover risk factors for all stages of life and represent information on events, behaviors, and genetics that impact millions of people every day. No matter how many or how few of these factors apply to your life, it is eye-opening to see what kind of impact these kinds of things can have on people’s lives.

Regardless of the reasons why, if you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, we want to help. We have a comprehensive list of resources that can get you started on the road to finding help, and for those in the New Jersey area, we offer compassionate and expert rehab services and care at our Sunrise House facility.