Do you wonder what causes addiction? Do you wish you could help someone who struggles with alcohol or drug misuse? Here are five things to keep in mind.

1. Addiction can affect anyone.
The most recent survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reveals more than 70 million Americans ages 12 and older said they used illegal drugs in 2022. Millions more misused prescription medications. The stats about alcohol — the most popular drug in the U.S. — are even more stark. Nearly half of all Americans 12 and older said they had alcohol in the past month. About 22% of them are binge drinkers.

The numbers reflect a sobering fact: Addiction affects people of all ages, races and socioeconomic backgrounds.

2. Addiction is a brain disease.
Over the past few decades, scientists have gained a better understanding of how addiction works. We now know it develops when pleasure centers in the brain get overwhelmed. If the brain is overwhelmed often enough, it begins to change and no longer functions like it should.

These permanent changes cause problems. Focus, memory, learning, decision-making and judgement are all affected. Drug misuse isn’t a conscious, rational decision. It’s a habit engrained in a rewired brain. A person with an addiction craves drugs even though they know they’re bad for them.

Key to helping a loved one addicted to drugs or alcohol is remembering addiction is a brain disease, not a sign of weakness or poor character.

3. Addiction is treatable.
Most addicts can’t get sober without help. Treatment for substance use disorders can occur in a variety of settings. Sometimes, it requires admission to a hospital. It may include medication, psychotherapy and family therapy. In every setting, the goal is to remove drugs or alcohol from a person’s life. To do so, treatment must address the physical, psychological, emotional and social issues that trigger drug misuse.

4. Teen ‘users’ are more likely to become grown-up addicts.
The younger a person starts misusing drugs or alcohol, the greater their chance of becoming an addict. You might think your kids are immune, but studies show nearly half of all young people use an illegal drug by the time they graduate from high school. Parents need to take teen drinking and drug misuse seriously. Don’t dismiss it as normal experimentation.

5. Recovery is hard.
Family members and addicts should understand treatment is not the same as a cure. Relapse can be discouraging to family members and devastating to addicts. Remember, relapse is not the same as failure. If you are supporting a loved one through treatment and recovery, know that he or she will likely need your support for a long time.

Sources:  Drug, Substance Abuse and Addiction Statistics 2024,  USA Today, 2024; SAMHSA Releases Annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health,  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2024; How an Addicted Brain Works,   Yale Medicine, 2022; Understanding the Science of Addiction,  Clear Behavioral Health, 2024; Drugs and Young People, MedlinePlus,  2024

Originally published 12/3/2015; Revised 2022, 2024