5 Steps to Addiction - Step #3 Behavior and Choices

Addiction is triggered when individuals make high-risk choices that exceed their trigger level. Choices refer to quantity and frequency of drinking or drug use. How much and how often an individual drinks or uses drugs influences one’s body and brain to either cause addiction or not. Psychological and social factors influence people’s behavior.

People who make high-risk choices always have an increased risk for alcohol-related problems, regardless of their reason to make those choices. Ultimately, high-risk drinking for fun carries as much risk as high-risk drinking to deal with stress or depression. Even infrequent heavy drinking can lead to certain health problems. Abstinence is the only low-risk choice for drugs, while those that drink should follow the 1, 2, 3 rule: No more than 1 drink per hour. No more than 2 drinks if daily. No more than 3 drinks on any day.