Is addiction caused by genetic or environmental factors?

I’ve been involved in some recent discussions about addiction as a disease and the role of experiences like trauma.

A few years ago I had the pleasure of seeing Dr. Jehannine Austin discuss how she approaches genetic counseling around psychiatric disorders and addiction. She doesn’t answer all the questions around the etiology of addiction (who can, really?), but she offers a very helpful frame for thinking about genetics, environmental risk factors, and protective factors. It also helps illuminate the role of recovery capital and social determinants of health.

Fortunately, her talk was recorded. The most salient parts are from 12:15 to 20:30.