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
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)