Risk factors

• Family influence:

  • perceived parental approval

  children with substance abusing parents are more likely to engage themselves

  1. parents have no interest in monitoring behaviour
  2. exposure, teens more likely to start using alcohol in families where it’s an everyday thing or family history

  SLT:

  • learned through observation
  • attention to details (is person happy), retention of important details (are there any consequences) , motivation (willing to do independently), reproduction
  • Motivation is influenced by vicarious reinforcement (seeing rewards) and identification (wanting to be like family)
• Peers:

  • people with low self esteem more vulnerable as encouraged by those around them, and want to feel happier with friends
  • same age and status with same shares common values and standards of behaviour
  • SLT: peer behaviour is imitated in hope of getting same direct rewards
  • wanting to be a part of the in-group so they can be socially accepted
• Genetic vulnerability:

  twin studies

  • monozygotic twins had higher concordance rate of both twins being gamblers than dz
  • 1,572 Dutch twins found likelihood was influenced 75% by genetics

  D2 receptor gene:

  • abnormally low numbers of d2 receptors
  • addiction raises levels of dopamine helping feel happier

  CYP2A6 enzyme:

  • some are better at metabolising
  • some lacked functioning CYP2A6 enzyme responsible for metabolising nicotine and smoke significantly less than those with fully functioning enzyme
  • so those with fully functioning enzyme are at greater risk of nicotine addition
• Stress:

  Traumatic stress

  • more vulnerable
  • US soldiers within a year of return from war, almost half had used drugs with 20% saying they had dependance for heroin at some point

  Self medication

  • intentionally use different bahviour to treat symptoms due to stress
  • stress is one of strongest predictors of relapse and increases cravings
• Personality:

  addictive prone personality

  • way of assessing personality factors in addictive behaviour
  • APP scale is effective in discriminating addicts from non addicts
  • found impulsivity and hostility are linked to addiction
  • impulsive personality is example of antisocial personality
  • people with this act out, are reckless, fail to acknowledge risks making them vulnerable insufficient serotonin systems make people prone to reckless decisions as they need immediate gratification