Mental Health Series

Understanding What Causes Addiction -
Dr. James Berry

Dr. Berry explains that addiction is multifactorial, involving biological, psychological, and social components, often referred to as the biopsychosocial model of health. He likens addiction to chronic diseases like diabetes, where genetic predispositions, stress, trauma, and environmental influences play a significant role. The brain systems responsible for rewards and pain relief become impaired, and genetic factors can account for up to 50% of the risk. Individuals exposed to trauma, mental health disorders (such as depression or anxiety), or environments where drug and alcohol misuse is normalized are at a higher risk of developing addiction.

Key Takeaways for Parents

1

Addiction is Multifactorial

Biological, psychological, and social factors all contribute to the development of addiction.

2

Genetics Play a Significant Role

Children of parents with addiction disorders have up to a 50% higher risk of developing an addiction themselves.

3

Psychological Stress Increases Vulnerability

High stress, anxiety, or depression can impair coping mechanisms and increase the likelihood of addiction.

4

Trauma is a Risk Factor

Experiences of physical, sexual, or emotional trauma elevate the risk of substance abuse.

5

Family Influence Matters

Children raised in environments where substance abuse is normalized are at higher risk of developing addiction.

6

Brain Chemistry Changes

Addiction impairs the brain’s reward and pain-relief systems, making individuals more susceptible.

7

Mental Health Disorders Are Linked

Depression, anxiety, or mania can increase the risk of addiction as individuals may self-medicate

8

Peer Influence Shapes Behavior

Social groups and family members impact what behaviors children see as normal, including unhealthy substance use.

9

Lifestyle Factors Contribute

Sedentary lifestyles or unhealthy habits within the family can mirror patterns seen in addiction development.

Transcript of the Interview

What are the causes of addiction?

Really it’s multifactorial.

There, there are many factors that contribute to someone having and developing an addiction.

And, you know, one of the models that we have thought about for a long time in order how, in order to understand this is something called the bio psychosocial. The biologic, psychologic and social model of health.

And you can see this with various chronic diseases, that there are biologic causes, there are psychologic causes, meaning that there are problems with the way we’re thinking or the way we’re feeling that contribute to developing certain diseases or disorders.

And then there’s social constructs as well that the groups that we spend a lot of time with, of course, are going to have an impact on our own behavior.

The decisions we make, what we feel is normal, what we feel is worth doing, a lot of that is given to us by the people we spend time with, whether it’s peers or our family members.

And, you know, one analogy that I think of, or one example I guess that I think of the bio-psychosocial model is something like diabetes.

Type two, and this is one of the things we know is that there are biologic reasons why somebody may have diabetes.

And they’re born with parents who have diabetes and therefore they’ve got a strong genetic risk to have diabetes themselves.

And so it impairs certain organs in the body that regulate sugar and appropriate, what’s called glucose metabolism and various hormones. And that becomes impaired.

So that’s the biologic standpoint.

We also know that there are psychologic components too. And people who are under high degrees of stress, anxiety, depression, that means that they are gonna be more vulnerable to having problems with the body breaking down and regulating sugar. And that can lead to diabetes too.

We also know that people who grow up with various degrees of trauma in their life, whether it’s physical trauma, sexual trauma, or even losses in their life and other problems that sets themself up for a host of medical problems, not the least of which is diabetes.

And then of course, if they’re around family members who don’t put a lot of stock appropriate diet and exercise and have a sedentary lifestyle, they are more likely to also develop diabetes.

And as they grow up also with addiction, there are strong genetic components.

So we know that first and foremost, the organ that is impaired with addiction is the brain and the various systems within the brain that are responsible for rewards and relief of pain and these sort of things.

This gets impaired and there’s a strong genetic component, even up to 50%.

And so we, we know from a number of studies and research that if a person is born to a parent or both parents, for instance, who themselves have an addictive disorder, then there’s a much greater chance of having an addictive disorder themselves.

And then also if someone grows up and they have a lot of trauma in their life, they’re much more likely to become addicted to drugs and alcohol as well.

Also, during periods of depression, mania anxiety, then if somebody is continually dealing with those particular disorders, it puts them at a higher risk to develop an addiction.

And then if they are around a family that it’s normal to use drugs, irresponsibly use alcohol, or unhealthily use alcohol or other behaviors in peer groups that are doing the same, then of course they’re going to be at higher risk too.

So it’s all of those factors that really come into play for somebody developing an addiction disorder.