WHO IS LIKELY TO BECOME ADDICTED – and who isn’t?

GENETICS

Alcoholism runs in families, and so does drug use – in fact, experts estimate that your genes account for about half of your risk for addiction. In the case of drugs, this may be related to the way the body metabolises them. Some studies have even found that a genetic quirk in which the brain has less of a certain dopamine receptor is related to a higher risk of addiction, psychiatrist Dr Kelly Dunn explains. But environment and other factors also come into play, so the fact that your mum or dad was addicted doesn’t mean it’s your destiny as well.

TOLERANCE FOR TAKING RISKS

There are certain personality traits – such as being impulsive and risk-taking – that make you more likely to try alcohol or drugs for the first time, and the more often you try them, the more likely you are to become addicted, Dr Dunn says. While taking chances has long been associated with substance abuse, a recent German study found that it is also linked to a higher rate of gaming disorder in otherwise healthy males.

While no-one can say with certainty who will walk away from an addictive substance or behaviour after trying it and who will fall down the rabbit hole, there are clear risk factors:

CHILDHOOD TRAUMA

Emotional and physical stress may have long-lasting effects on the brain, especially in its early stages of development. That’s why kids who suffer trauma or grow up in stressful environments, like extreme poverty, may be more vulnerable to addiction as they get older. A 2016 study at the University of Texas found that adverse childhood experiences, including physical and sexual abuse and living with an addicted parent, correlated with a high risk of substance abuse even in adults aged 50 and over.

HOW OLD YOU ARE WHEN YOU FIRST TRY IT

The earlier you start experimenting with a substance or behaviour, the more likely you are to get hooked, since the prefrontal cortex – the rational part of the brain that overrides the “Ooh, cool, let’s try it!” risk-taking section – is not fully developed until the mid-20s.

WHERE YOU LIVE AND HANG OUT

If you’re around a lot of drugs and alcohol, you’re more likely to try them. The family and neighbourhood you grow up in, your peers and the legality and availability of different addictive substances all come into play.