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Preventing Addiction

There are many factors that affect a person's life and the path that they take. This includes addiction and substance abuse. Statistics prove that a person who has suffered abuse, neglect, or trauma as a child, is more likely to develop an addiction as they get older. Additionally, genetics also play a role in someone’s risk of addiction.  The addiction “gene” can be passed down from generation to generation.

Adolescence is a critical time for preventing drug and alcohol addiction. Early use of drugs and alcohol increases a person's chance of becoming addicted. Because early use of drugs and alcohol change the brain, this can lead to addiction and other behavioral problems. Preventing early use of drugs and alcohol can go a long way in reducing these risks. 

Risk of drug use increases greatly during times of transition. For anyone, abuse, trauma, or neglect increases the risk of addiction. For an adult, divorce or loss of a job may increase the risk of drug use. For a teenager, risky times include moving, family divorce, or changing schools. When children advance from elementary through middle school, they face new and challenging social, family, and academic situations. Often during this period, children are exposed to substances such as cigarettes, drugs, and alcohol for the first time.







While it may sound like a cliché, prevention is key!  Too many people fall victim to thinking “I’ll try it just once” or, “I can stop anytime I want”.  Trying it “just once” or experimenting with drugs and alcohol often leads to addiction and a long road of recovery.

The question is, how to say no?  Here are five ways to avoid relying on drugs or alcohol to feel like you fit in or make it through life daily challenges.

1. Learn to Deal with Life’s Pressures

The inability to deal with the pressures in our daily lives is one of the major forces that drive people to drugs and alcohol. For many people, drug and alcohol consumption is a way to escape the harsh realities of life. However, drugs and alcohol abuse are destructive. Learning to cope with life in a constructive manner will help give more meaning to your life and help you stay away from drugs and alcohol.  Teaching your children (and yourself!) critical thinking skills and how to approach problems with a solution-focused mindset are two great ways to deal with life’s daily challenges.

2. Staying Stronger than Peer Pressure

Some people, particularly teenagers and young adults, experiment with drugs just to present a cool persona to others. They do it to fit in among their circle of friends. Some people wrongly believe that doing drugs or consuming alcohol will make them more acceptable and popular with their peers.

When people feel secure in their home life, secure in the value of who they are and how they fit into this world, they are less likely to fall prey to bullying and pressure to fit in. Not giving into peer pressure can help prevent drug addiction.

3. Develop Close Family Ties

Research indicates that people who share a close relationship with their families are less likely to become drug addicts. The guidance and support provided by responsible and trustworthy family and friends makes it easier for someone to deal with life pressures and stay away from all types of harmful substances and behaviors. When people have a support system of loving family and friends, they have an outlet other than bad influences.

4. Develop Healthy Habits

Healthy habits include sleeping, hydration, nutrition, exercise, education and personal growth, spiritual peace, and supportive relationships.

5. Staying Involved with Positive Activities

When people are bored, they tend to engage in activities that aren’t necessarily healthy, they’re just killing time. Activities like sleeping too much, overeating, drinking, or doing drugs, watching too much TV, spending too much time gaming or internet surfing, and hanging out with a bad crowd, etc.  By staying busy with constructive activities like community involvement, sports, and self-improvement, there is less time to spend thinking about, or doing, things that are not healthy.