What Are The Causes of Substance-Related Disorders?

Substance-Related Disorders encompass a wide array of potential ailments and impairments that are generally involved with the misuse or abuse of a substance, both on a short-term and long-term level.

While the substance itself is the cause of these conditions, it is evident that not everyone who uses substances goes on to develop a disorder.

There do however appear to be some risk factors involved. We take a look at these risk factors in this article.

What are Substance-Related Disorders?

Substance-Related Disorders: Substance-Related Disorders are a category of conditions which involve any form of substance abuse, substance dependence, and disorders that specifically arise from drug abuse. There are two distinct types of Substance-Related Disorders – Substance-Induced Disorders and Substance Use Disorders. Substance-Induced Disorders refers to the immediate effects (e.g. intoxication) or discontinuation (e.g. withdrawal) of substance use. Substance Use Disorders meanwhile involve the negative consequences that arise from continued use of substances – typically involving addiction.

What are some potential causes of Substance-Related Disorders?

We take a look at some of the factors involved with the cause of Substance-Related disorders:

• Genetics: Children born to those who have pre-existing substance-related disorders have an increased risk of developing their own disorder. This appears to imply a genetic risk [1].
• Type of Drug: The type of drug that is consumed too is a crucial factor. Some drugs have more of an addiction liability. For instance, Ecstasy is a harmful drug, and long-term use can result in an increased chance of dependence. But the harm the drug does is very little in comparison to that of other drugs, like Heroin – which is renowned for being highly addictive, as well as causing physical ailments.
• Teenage Use: Use of substances in teenage years could be a key factor. Symptoms associated with teenage use of substances could easily continue into adulthood.
• Self-Medication: This is a key area. Many people choose to self-medicate when they feel low, or go through a traumatic time. Those with pre-existing mental health conditions like Depression or Anxiety may be more at risk of developing a substance-related disorder, due to the self-medicating aspect. They may quickly become reliant on the substance to give them some happiness, something that can quickly spiral out of control.
• Lack of Support: Similar to the above, individuals who have a lack of support from others may be more prone to developing a substance-related disorder. Not having support from anyone can lead to a lack of control in life. A lack of dependents too can lead an individual to neglecting life responsibilities – leading to more reckless behaviour.
• Abuse: Physical, sexual or emotional abuse are risks for any form of harmful behaviour to develop, including substance abuse [2].  
• Self-Control: Those that have lower levels of self-control may be unable to stop themselves from taking substances on a long-term basis. When exposed to harmful substances, they may not have the control to show restraint.
• Chronic Pain: Someone who has chronic pain issues will commonly develop a tolerance to a substance they use for pain relief. They may need to use substances with higher potency, and ultimately struggle to ever stop abusing.
• Trauma: Any form of trauma can leave an individual severely distressed. Trauma can cause a multitude of consequences, one of which is substance-abuse [2].

Summary

It can be very difficult to pinpoint exactly what leads someone to suffering from a substance-related disorder. It seems that many different factors are involved, though certain risk factors are evidently present.

Many people do appear to be vulnerable to developing a substance-related disorder, especially when considering the use of substance abuse in self-medicating – something that is unfortunately well-practiced.

See Also

1. Substance-Related Disorders: Everything You Need to Know
2. What Are The Different Types of Substance-Related Disorders?
3. What Are The Symptoms of Substance-Related Disorders?
4. What Are The Causes of Substance-Related Disorders?
5. How are Substance-Related Disorders Diagnosed?
6. How Can Substance-Related Disorders be Treated?
7. What is the Prognosis for Substance-Related Disorders?
8. 10 Tips for Living With Substance-Related Disorders