This section contains some articles that discuss one of several Causes of Substance Abuse—vulnerability. In addition to an Overview article, the following topics are discussed as vulnerability factors: Gender; Genetics; the Psychoanalytic Perspective; Race; Sensation Seeking; Sexual and Physical Abuse; and Stress. For more information, see Comorbidity and Vulnerability, Families and Drug Use, and Poverty and Drug Use.

An Overview

There are marked individual differences in drug use and abuse. Some people never use drugs although drugs may be readily available to them. Others use drugs sporadically or regularly for years but never escalate their use to drug DEPENDENCE. Others become chronic, compulsive users and have difficulty functioning without drugs. These individual differences in drug-use patterns are the result of a combination of environmental and genetic factors. Environmental factors include the experiences of an individual, such as...