Family or Peer?

There are many factors that contribute to addiction but the two main ones are family conditions and peer influences. Some substance abuse arise from having a dysfunctional family while some come from the influence of friends and acquaintance. Which do you think is the heavier burden that can make a person run for the temporary consolation of substances or drugs?

I don't think it was either for myself. I mean, I would create social situations to support a habit I would partake in & my family conditions were not made better by the habit but I would not say they were influencing factors. I wouldn't say negative days or time with people were influential either. It just became habit. I started by associating it with all social gatherings & then I started to make up social gatherings & so on & so forth.

It depends on that person whether he/she is going to be easily influenced to take drugs/alcohol/substances or not. As for me, I have been influenced to drink alcohol by my friends (peers) but I didn't get addicted to it that much. I still know that there should be a limitation in everything I do.

I agree that those can be the reasons and based on what I can observed here, it is more of the peer pressure/influences. It is because more of the alcoholics here have nice family and well supported but they are "alcoholics group" in which bonding is drinking for them.

It varies. Both factors can be crucial. Peer pressure can be really hard on a teenager's mind. If (s)he doesn't copy what everyone else is doing then (s)he might get left out and then lapse into a depression. It's really not a great situation to be in. The family factor, on the other hand, could actually have the adverse effect - you might be repulsed by what your parents are doing and choose to never repeat their mistakes again. In light of this, I'd say peer pressure could actually turn out to be the more emphatic factor.

It's really hard to say. My peers didn't have much of an influence on me, as I have always been an independent thinker. But my family nearly destroyed me, physically and psychologically. That's why I left my personal hell called "home" when I was 16 years old.

People sink into drug abuse for a variety of reasons and after several months listening to members' stories, I've realized that unresolved issues with both family and peers can push individuals to take drugs. The dimensions differ but if you look at it closely, it's mostly the same. A lot of substance abusers come from broken if not dysfunctional families and because of that, they're easily influenced by peers to ingest drugs.

I grew up in a household where both of my parents were drug users and alcoholics. So my vote is my family is the reason why I started drinking. Sure I have friends that drank as well. But we all can chose our friends, but we can't chose our family. I use to go home at the end of the day, and somebody would be high when I got there. When I left for school, they were still drinking in the living room.

My view: A loved one grew up in a family where there is nurture, love and security. Not perfect and breezy. But they're okay to run to whenever (s)he has problems. When that precious child left home to find her/his wings and discovers that they can flap and soar, (s)he meets a friend whom (s)he has committed to be co-dependent with and of each other. Meaning, that friend (sadly) isn't happy with her/his own good family and (s)he has been problematic with them and left. That friend, sadly also, has issues with drug and alcohol abuse since in her/his teens.

So, I think, it's personal choice and decision. But we do not condemn; and we keep loving and letting our loved ones know that they are loved constantly.

I know some in my family, they had more peer pressure maybe did not want to look like a person who is scared to take the drugs or alcohol and want to prove they can do it. The consequences were usuallly, people drinking over the limit and being passed out and lying down on the floor and vomiting sometimes and not a good sight to see. Family pressure can happen, if it is viewed the way to go and everyone is doing it and I will do it too to show I can do it.

I think family and environment contribute most of the damage to a human's psychological and emotional well being because a person who grows up in a good family would never allow themselves to be swayed by their peers so easily. In my opinion, parents who complain about their kids running with bad people just didn't do a good enough job and instead of owning up to it they blame their kids or their kids' friends, video games, movies, etc.

I do believe that family and peers can effect decisions we make in our lives. I think it depends on who has the greatest influence whether it be negative or positive and who means the most to a person.

How about a adulteress wife? That made me want to pick up the bottle and get stupid drunk. That was my kryptonite. A unsupported other half.

Peer affects our thinking. Our families do give advice sometimes. It's through our peergroups that we learn many new things. A family background may be the reason but not many cases.

I agree that those two are some of the major factors which influence substance abuse. Again it really affects the people you hang out with but also your family. In the end it's just your choice. People get to really bad places because of many different sources of negativity and they can't think straight.

I think many people will point to peer pressure as a starting point for their addiction. Growing up, it's very easy to be influenced by others and people have a need to try and fit in.

As you get older that doesn't matter as much but the damage as already been done and your already addicted.