Addiction Could Be in the Genes
For scientists and doctors, studying the causes of addiction has been somewhat of a mystery for the many decades. However, new advances in technology and medicine have allowed a new study to be carried out by researchers at the University of Virginia and the University of Michigan – and the results could profoundly affect the way addiction is viewed both within the field of medicine and society in general.
According to researchers involved in the study, there is a distinct possibility that there are specific genes that cause all type of addictions; additionally, the same genes that cause alcohol dependence are also linked to other dangerous addictions to drugs and other substances. As several genes are directly linked to causing multiple debilitating addictions, researchers are much closer to identifying the exact genetic variant that would make a person more vulnerable to addiction.
So what does this mean in regards to how addiction is treated? Experts firmly believe that identifying particular genes that cause addiction can help create more effective and personalized treatments that will have a much higher success rate. As many addicts experience relapse during the recovery process, this new research could shed light on treatments that would minimize the overall relapse rate.
This new information also helps to undermine popular misconceptions about addiction, as many addicts are viewed as lazy or irresponsible. Since addicts display a greater biological vulnerability to addiction, it’s important to treat addiction as a disease, and not as a choice.
However, this new research is still incomplete, as scientists will need to not only identify the specific genes, but study how they function as well. While the road to understanding how addictions are formed is still riddled with obstacles, experts are starting to reveal new information about addiction that did not exist in earlier years.
