BECOMING ADDICTS: WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS FOR KIDS?

Addiction experts and researchers often talk about the risk factors for developing addiction (aka alcoholism, chemical dependency) -  the disease of addiction.




A risk factor is something that is present in a person's life, physically, emotionally, socially that may contribute to them developing dependence on chemicals or behaviours (aka the disease of addiction or addiction disorder.)




And the life-stages they're most often referring to are childhood and adolescence. These are the life-stages that produce the next generation of addicts/alcoholics. 

The risk factors that have been identified most often are: 

     1. Social Environment      

2. Childhood Trauma (verbal, physical and/or emotional abuse)     

3. Mental Illness     

4. Genetics     

5. Early Use       

(see www.breakingthecycles.com)

When we begin to think about prevention, it feels a bit overwhelming to look at the first four risk factors - where do we start? Especially when we know kids who are growing up in chaotic homes where the adults are abusing, or dependent on, alcohol or other drugs.   

The fifth risk factor - early use - may be the logical choice for a child who is subjected to the first four. In other words, having a first drink at a young age would be considered normal for kid who lives with any of the first four risk factors. 

But it's been known for a few years that delaying first use of alcohol or other drugs helps to lessen the impact of the first four risk factors. Here's a summary from the results of a study that was published 11 years ago:   



Analysis revealed a rapid progression to alcohol-related harm among those who reported having their first drink at ages 11–14.  After 10 years, 13.5% of the subjects who began to drink at ages 11 and 12 met the criteria for a diagnosis of alcohol abuse, and 15.9% had a diagnosis of dependence. Rates for subjects who began to drink at ages 13 and 14 were 13.7% and 9.0%, respectively...

In contrast, rates for those who started drinking at ages 19 and older were 2.0% and 1.0%. 

CONCLUSIONS: First use of alcohol at ages 11–14 greatly heightens the risk of progression to the development of alcohol disorders and therefore is a reasonable target for intervention strategies that seek to delay first use as a means of averting problems later in life.

Study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, May 1, 2000 (157:745-750)




So, in simple terms, almost 25 to 30 percent of the kids in this study who had their first drink between 11 and 14 years old developed problems with alcohol abuse or dependence within ten years, while only 3 percent of kids who didn't drink until they were at least 19 developed the same problems.

Prevention of addiction to alcohol and other drugs begins with connecting children to at least one safe adult (maybe it has to be you or me).

And that connection could easily help those kids decide to delay their first drink or toke or drag.  They would probably do so (not take that first drink at a vulnerable age) because they've been educated about addiction and have received support from some safe, stable adults. Despite all the other risk factors they've been subjected to, they might decide that putting off drinking or using is the safest, most logical choice for them.


Who knows? Your quiet, reassuring, guiding support for a child in your life might make all the difference in the world.