How it Started

There is not one single cause of addiction.

 
 
 

Who Does Addiction Affect?

Research shows addiction affects people across all demographics - from teachers and nurses to construction workers and CEOs, from teenagers to grandparents, across every racial and ethnic community. It doesn't matter if you have a college degree or never finished high school or if you've struggled with mental health or never had a care in the world. Substance use disorders and addiction don’t discriminate.

 

What Causes Addiction?

No single thing causes addiction. Instead, it develops when someone faces a combination of biological vulnerabilities (like genetics), psychological challenges (like trauma or mental health struggles), and social circumstances (like their environment or relationships). The more of these factors someone has, the higher their risk. This explains why addiction can happen to anyone and why it's not about willpower or character - it's about how these different forces interact in someone's life.

 

FACT

Addiction is a disease, not a moral failing

 
IT STARTED WITH A

Torn ACL
"Sarah" was a star athlete with a full scholarship ahead of her. After surgery, prescription painkillers helped her heal. But when the prescription ended, the pain—and the need—didn't.

IT STARTED WHEN I

Got Hurt at Work
"Miguel" fell from scaffolding and broke three ribs. The doctor prescribed opioids for the pain. When his back-to-work date arrived, Mike realized he couldn't face the day without them. 

IT STARTED WITH 

Chronic Back Pain
"Maria" had been dealing with lower back pain for months. Her doctor prescribed opioids to help her function at work and take care of her kids. After two years of legitimate use, Maria realized she was taking more pills than prescribed just to feel normal. 

 

IT STARTED WHEN I

Lost My Job
After 15 years with the same company, "David" was laid off. The 
stress and uncertainty led him to drugs. What started as a way to cope became something he couldn't control. 

 

IT STARTED WITH 

My Deployment

"James" returned from overseas carrying invisible wounds. The nightmares and anxiety felt unbearable. Substances became his way to quiet the chaos in his mind. His family has cut him off because they feel ashamed to be around him. 

IT STARTED BY

Trying to Fit In
"Emma" felt like an outsider at her new school. When classmates offered pills at a party, she thought it would help her belong. It was the beginning of a path she never intended to walk. 

 

IT STARTED WITH 

My Environment
"Anthony" grew up in an inner-city neighborhood where drug use and drug selling was prevalent. As a teen his friend offered him pills at a party, curiosity got the better of him –because he'd seen drugs around his whole life and wondered what they were like. What started as curiosity became a dependence that followed him into adulthood.

 
 
IT STARTED WITH

 A Car Accident
"Carlos" was rear-ended on his way to work and suffered whiplash and a herniated disc. The emergency room gave him a prescription for the pain. Months later, even after his physical therapy ended, he couldn't imagine getting through a day without the pills. 

 
 
 

REMEMBER:

No matter how it started, recovery is possible with support, understanding, and access to appropriate care.

Addiction is hard. Stigma makes it harder.
But we can change that. Find out how.

 

FACT

Four in ten Americans are unwilling to spend an evening socializing with someone who has SUD (44%) or have them as a close friend (47%).

 

This isolation happens exactly when people need support most. (Source: 2024 Shatterproof Addiction Stigma Index)