Drugs Lecture- Nikki Lombardi

     In this post, I will be discussing the lecture titled "Drugs," specifically commenting on the genetics of addiction aspect. In the slide, it is mentioned that genetically related individuals are similarly vulnerable to drug experimentation and addiction. This is something that caught my interest, especially because I already learned a bit about it in another psychology course. Many people think addiction is strictly genetic or primarily based on environmental factors. However, neither is the case and they can both factor into addiction. Just because an individual has a genetic predisposition does not mean that they will develop an addiction, or even patterns of abuse. It simply means that their risk factor is higher, which is why they should be extra cautious by developing a greater awareness and implementing protective factors in their life. As mentioned at "Is Addiction Genetic?", The National Institute for Drug Abuse tells us that based on numerous studies on various degrees of siblinghood, up to 50 percent of a person's risk towards developing an addiction is linked to genetics. This is quite a high percentage when you really think about it, but again, there are other factors that contribute such as environmental, cultural, or psychological factors. There is also how a person who knows he/she is at a higher risk of addiction structures his/her life to avoid being susceptible to it. Overall, I found the topic of addiction being related to genetics very interesting in this lecture and enjoyed diving a bit deeper into the subject.

Source:

“Is Addiction Genetic?” The Treehouse Rehab, 18 Sept. 2019, www.treehouserehab.org/is-addiction-genetic/.