Addiction is literally the opposite of community because people stuck in addiction feel shame, guilt, and disconnected from themselves and others and subsequently use substances (or behaviors) to escape feelings of discomfort that stem from abuse or neglect.‍ ‍*All addictions follow a similar cycle:

Reasons For Addiction

There are at least 10 reasons why people fall prey to addiction on the streets:

Research shows that addiction usually develops from a combination of biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors.

1. Trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (One of the Strongest Predictors)

Many people with addiction histories report significant childhood adversity, including:

  • Physical abuse

  • Sexual abuse

  • Emotional abuse

  • Neglect

  • Parent incarceration

  • Domestic violence

  • Parent substance abuse

  • Chronic chaos or instability

  • Rejection or abandonment

Studies on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) show that as ACE scores increase, the risk for addiction rises dramatically. Often, the substance isn't the primary problem—it's an attempt to manage overwhelming emotional pain.

2. Genetics and Family History

Research suggests genetics account for roughly 40–60% of addiction vulnerability. A person may inherit:

  • Stronger reward-seeking tendencies

  • Greater impulsivity

  • Higher sensitivity to stress

  • Increased susceptibility to substances

Genetics load the gun; environment often pulls the trigger.

3. Mental Health Disorders

Many people use substances to cope with symptoms they don't know how to manage. Common conditions associated with addiction include:

  • Depression

  • Anxiety Disorder

  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

  • Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

  • Bipolar Disorder

  • Social anxiety

  • Chronic stress

Many people discover that alcohol, cannabis, opioids, stimulants, or sedatives temporarily relieve symptoms. The problem is that the relief is temporary while the consequences accumulate.

4. Emotional Pain and Escape

Addiction often begins as a solution. People may be trying to escape:

  • Loneliness

  • Shame

  • Grief

  • Hopelessness

  • Failure

  • Rejection

  • Emotional numbness

  • Chronic stress

Many clients don't say: "I want to become addicted." They say: "I just want the pain to stop for a little while."

5. Social Environment

Humans learn from those around them. Risk factors include:

  • Peer pressure

  • Family normalization of substance use

  • Growing up around addiction

  • Gang involvement

  • Certain workplace cultures

  • Social isolation

If substance use is modeled as the primary coping strategy, it often becomes the default coping strategy.

6. Early Exposure

The younger someone begins using substances, the greater the risk of later addiction. The adolescent brain is still developing, particularly areas responsible for:

  • Judgment

  • Impulse control

  • Long-term planning

This makes early substance use especially risky.

7. Chronic Stress and Poverty

Living in survival mode increases addiction risk. Examples:

  • Homelessness

  • Food insecurity

  • Job instability

  • Financial crisis

  • Unsafe neighborhoods

  • Chronic discrimination

When life feels overwhelming, immediate relief often becomes more appealing than long-term consequences.

8. Brain Reward System Changes

All addictive substances and behaviors affect dopamine and reward pathways. Over time:

  1. The brain adapts.

  2. More of the substance is needed.

  3. Natural pleasures become less rewarding.

  4. Cravings increase.

  5. Use becomes compulsive.

Eventually the person may no longer use primarily to feel good.

They use to feel normal.

9. Lack of Healthy Coping Skills

Many people were never taught how to:

  • Regulate emotions

  • Manage conflict

  • Process grief

  • Handle rejection

  • Soothe anxiety

  • Build healthy relationships

Substances can become an unhealthy shortcut.

10. Loss of Meaning, Purpose, and Connection

A common theme in recovery literature is that addiction flourishes when people become disconnected from:

  • Meaning

  • Purpose

  • Community

  • Healthy relationships

  • Hope for the future

People are often more resilient when they feel:

  • Needed

  • Connected

  • Valued

  • Capable

  • Hopeful

What Addiction Often Looks Like in Real Life—

Many people's stories sound something like:

Childhood trauma → emotional pain → anxiety/depression → loneliness → substance provides relief → increasing use → tolerance → consequences → more shame → more use.

Not everyone follows that path, but it is a common pattern. If someone asks, "Why did I become addicted?" it is often more helpful to ask:

  • What pain was the addiction helping you survive?

  • What needs was it meeting?

  • What was happening in your life when it began?

  • What does the addiction do for you that feels hard to get elsewhere?

Those questions often reveal more than focusing solely on the substance itself.

A useful way to explain addiction is: "Addiction is rarely about loving the substance. More often, it's about finding relief from something that hurts, and then getting trapped by the very thing that initially seemed to help." That perspective tends to reduce shame while still holding people accountable for the work of recovery.

Addiction Stems From Childhood Trauma And/Or Unmet Needs:

*Reality-irony: Many “housed people” struggle with the very same issues the homeless do but behind closed doors where no one can see.

*Salt Lake City is now a major drug hub between Mexico and Canada resulting in more crime, addiction and overdose at record levels. See the following articles: “Fentanyl now leading cause of overdose deaths in Utah, HHS report finds and China is behind much of it.

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