Unfortunately, many Americans lean into optimism bias; the belief that undesirable outcomes won’t happen to them. This “it can’t happen to me” syndrome prevents people from taking the right precautions. Just because you might be taking prescription painkillers for the right reason doesn’t mean you’re less likely to be addicted. On the same token, just because everyone has the potential to become addicted doesn’t mean that everyone will become addicted. The fact is, everyone has their own personal risk for addiction. Your personal risk of addiction depends on several factors, including your history with drugs and alcohol, your family’s history of addiction, and applicable psychiatric disorders like depression.