Do You or a Loved One Have an Increased Danger of Cocaine Abuse? Find Out 6 Factors That Increase Your Risk of Cocaine Abuse.

Cocaine abuse is a widespread problem in the United States, affecting people of every age and social demographic. While there is no one condition or factor that guarantees future cocaine abuse, there are certain factors that increase your risk of cocaine abuse. Since cocaine addiction can be difficult to overcome, anyone who meets these factors should be extra vigilant about avoiding drug use. According to findings from the National Institute of Drug Abuse, there are several environmental and biological factors that contribute to substance abuse and make it more likely that individuals will become addicted to cocaine or other drugs.

Family Addiction/ High-Risk Family Situation

Living in a high-risk family situation contributes to substance abuse and makes it more likely that at some point in your life you may abuse cocaine or other drugs. The National Institute of Drug Abuse identifies family situations as risk factors of cocaine abuse when:

* One or more care givers are addicted to cocaine or another drug

* There is a lack of nurturing on the part of family members or parents

* Parenting involvement is minimal or ineffective

* There is a lack of attachment between parents and child

* Parents or family members engage in criminal activity

* There is a family acceptance of drug abuse

* There is exposure to physical or sexual abuse

Mood or Mental Health Issues

Having mood and mental health disorders such as depression, ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder), or anxiety increase your risk of cocaine abuse. People with mental health issues often try to self-medicate with drugs, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness , which reports that approximately one-third of all people with a mental illness also engage in substance abuse.

Current or Past Substance Abuse

If you have a history of substance abuse or are currently abusing drugs, you are more likely to abuse cocaine than someone who has never taken drugs. This increased vulnerability exists even if the substances in question were prescription drugs. The earlier the drug abuse occurs, the more likely it is that you will develop a serious problem with cocaine or other drugs. Peer Pressure

Peer pressure is one of the prime risk factors that contribute to substance abuse. Exposure to friends and peers who use drugs make it more likely that you will abuse cocaine, even if other risk factors are not present.

Genetic Vulnerability

According to a branch of the National Institute of Health, the latest scientific research indicates that 40 to 60 percent of a person's risk of substance abuse can be attributed to genetic factors. A family history of addiction, where one or more blood relatives abuse drugs, can indicate that you have an increased risk of cocaine abuse.

Additional Cocaine Abuse Risk Factors

Certain socioeconomic factors can make it more likely that you will abuse cocaine in your lifetime. These risk factors include ready access to drugs, academic failure, poor social skills, community poverty, and living in a community where drug use is normalized and accepted.

The initial decision to abuse cocaine is usually a voluntary choice. Having any of these factors in your life increase your risk of cocaine abuse and make it more likely that you will end up addicted to cocaine if you ever start using it.