The reason it happens, is that addiction does not strike based on class, or skin-color, or economic position; it is a disease like any other, and can strike any person -- without warning -- just as cancer can.
For many years, clinicians have struggled to classify addiction as a disease, and the latest studies give merit to their struggle. It seems that addiction can best be described as a predisposition, that can lay dormant until the introduction of chemicals into the brain. These chemicals alter the chemical balance in the brain, and cause an individual to feel euphoric, happy, and well. Due to the imbalance in the brain, these happy feelings do not come naturally, therefore, when an individual knows that "feeling okay," or "feeling balanced," or "feeling better" comes from the ingestion of a drug, that predisposition kicks in, and soon-enough, the drug that was once used to simply "feel normal," has become a necessity that the body counts on in order to function. It is a catch-22, in some ways.
Due to the fact that addictive predispositions are inherent in persons, it is normal for addicts to feel trapped, isolated, angry, and upset. This is why any rehabilitation program that is worth its weight, should have programs in place to deal with the emotional responses to addiction. An angry individual can never fully recover; therefore, touching on emotional issues, first and foremost, will allow an addict a better chance at a successful recovery.
