Is There Really Such a Thing as an ‘Addictive Personality’?

HOOKED ON BATS –

Aug. 10, 2022 – We now know some people who have problems with alcohol or other drugs can return to regular use. And most people experience problems with only one drug, using other drugs in non-problematic ways. Both of these things contradict the addictive personality theory because they suggest there is a level of control.

But there are some traits that are more likely to be found in people who have problems with alcohol or other drugs. There are two main personality clusters that seem to increase risk of problems: risk-taking or impulsiveness, and sad or anxious temperaments. Or a combination of both. Both risk takers and high achievers are more likely to develop alcohol or drug problems.

The common thread to these seemingly unrelated traits is difficulty regulating emotions.

This partly explains why people who have experienced trauma have a higher risk of developing alcohol or other drug problems, and why there are higher rates of dependence among people with ADHD. Both these conditions increase activity in the limbic system, the part of the brain responsible for emotional reactions, and decrease activity in parts of the prefrontal cortex, the logical part of the brain that helps regulate emotional responses.