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abstract addictions essay
addiction is not a disease essay
Essay of Addiction
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How does one define addiction? Is it a conscious choice in which the addict chooses to divulge in drugs, or is it a biological disease in which the addict has no choice in the matter at all and must take drugs as an involuntary necessity? Kent Dunnington tries to solve this discourse by denying the validity of both the disease method and the choice method by introducing a third choice, habit. He explains that addiction is a habit because habit “explains how the will can act consistently and successfully without being worn down by the weight of desire or tripped up by uncoordinated desires because habits qualify and coordinate desires (Dunnington, 61). His definition of habit as the true cause of addiction comes along with a rejection of both …show more content…
These explanations validate Dunnington’s definition of addiction as a habit since it is a middle ground between disease and choice, involuntary and voluntary, but I believe the definition is none of the three.
Dunnington’s denial of disease and choice are stemmed from the aspects of each that better support his own beliefs in the definition of addiction. They do not however, encompass the entire idea of what each is respectively. Dunnington’s belief that a disease is defined as “a chronic physiological disorder and… it therefore can be most adequately treated through medical intervention” is based in falsified assumptions (Dunnington 24). His basis that addiction cannot be a disease because people can overcome addiction without the help of medication assumes that all diseases are cured through medications and that there is no scenario where a disease is cured through means other than medication. His
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Jack London describes in John Barleycorn, his experiences with drinking by saying “…I discovered what a good stomach and strong head I had for drink--- a bit of knowledge that was to be a source of pride in succeeding years” (London 155). He drank and continued to drink as he explains because he felt pride in the action, felt pride in his ability to drink those older than him under the table and still maintain consciousness; this was his cause of addiction. On the other hand, In A Bartender Tells What Man Did to Booze, and Booze to Man, the second hand experience of why a bartender, who sees people drink all day everyday, describes why he believes people drink. His answer is “it was for the alcohol alone, what it did to them, that men drink” (Anonymous, 119). This bartender witnessed young men go form timid to brave, watched the quiet speak volumes all under the influence of alcohol. It was because of these traits, these lacking characteristics that only alcohol could grant that made men drink in the eyes of the bartender. This idea that addiction stems form the ability of granting the characteristics people long for is further solidified in Confessions of an Opium- Eater, by Thomas De Quincey, who says “Thus I have shown
In the short story “a demotic dilemma” written by Carson Mccullers deals with how a parent has to be responsible and must sacrifice their wants and need to take care and provide for their family. As well as the negative effects of a dysfunctional family on a young child. Therefore, it talks about a woman by the name of Emily's that has two children a boy named Andy and a girl named Marianna. Moreover, in the short story Emily's husband Martin has his job translocated by the company he works for to a big city away from the southern life away from family and friends. Which, resulted in Emily losing her stability and social life causing her to relieve this stress and life of isolation by drinking her sorrows away causing her to stumbles down
The term addiction can be interpreted in many ways, concering both illegal and legal substances. Not only can one become addicted to a substance, but also activities like gambling, shoplifting, and sex. Prior to considering addiction, one must first understand what constitutes a substance. Levinthal (2002) describes a drug as a chemical substance that changes the functioning of the body when ingested (4). Although illegal drugs may come to mind when hearing this definition, alcohol and tobacco fit under this criteria as well. For the purpose of this essay, controlled and regulated (licit/legal) substances will be focused upon. Alcohol is a regulated substance that can be thought of as a social drug (Levinthal, 2002, p.192) and arguably tobacco
In the book, Addiction & Grace: Love and Spirituality in the Healing of Addictions, May explores how addiction develops and can be treated from a psychological, physiological, and spiritual standpoint. This theme is clearly shown throughout the text as it shows addiction from a whole person's perspective. The book covers the development of addiction from desire through the experience of addiction. The key focus is on looking at the matter of addiction from multiple stand points then broken down by explaining how addiction is an issue psychologically, physiologically, and spiritually. By focusing on these three areas, the author is able to present the reader with a clear understanding of addiction from all sides of the problem.
Reinarman, Craig (2004). Addiction as accomplishment: The discursive construction of disease. Addiction Research and Study, August, 2005, 13(4): 307–320
The biopsychosocial model of addiction theorizes that crossing biological, psychological and social and systemic properties are essential features of health and
As illustrated the model of drug abuse and the theories behind addiction are varied. There is no concrete reason for one person who drinks to become alcohol dependent versus the person who does not. Several factors contribute to why a person begins drinking and why they continue to do so despite reasons to stop. The case history exhibits a client with many risk factors associated with alcohol use and dependence.
Robinson, David. From Drinking to Alcoholism: A Social Commentary. London: John Wiley and Sons, 1976.
The fact that addiction is a brain disorder is a new detail that I learnt from the HBO video. As pointed out by Dr. Volkow, addiction as a brain disease renders the addicts unable to control themselves in relation to curbing their addiction problem. In conceptualizing addiction as a brain disease, Volkow illustrates this standpoint with the fact that the brain has a “natural reward system” that facilitates the learning of “behaviors that are necessary for survival” (NIDA 2006). Learning that the abused drugs take over this system – the dopamine system of the brain - was pivotal in finally grasping the rationale behind referring to addiction as a brain disorder. The brain with time becomes dependent on the abused drugs. This arises from the fact that natural rewards no longer have the capability to produce “normal levels of dopamine or pleasure” (NIDA 2006). As time goes on, the continued intake of drugs subsequently makes the addict lose all control over their use and dependen...
Addiction is a very strong word that brings along many negative connotations. When we think of an addiction we imagine someone who depends on a certain substance, most likely alcohol to have their needs met. Addiction is defined by the Webster dictionary as, "a compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance (as heroin, nicotine, or alcohol) characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal." Even though our society sees addiction and only applies the word to drug addicts and alcoholics, there is a much wider range of subjects that fall under the umbrella of what an addiction truly is. An addiction is a dependency on any kind of materialistic object that you use on a day to day basis that brings
When it comes to the topic of addiction, most of us will readily agree that it is a miserable trait to possess. An addiction is a physical and psychological state of being that if not treated correctly could result into harmful wrongdoing. In The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg, he recounts a story in which a fatigued housewife named Angie Bachmann lost all of her family’s assets, amounting to a million dollars due to a gambling addiction. Every habit has three components: a cue or a trigger of an automatic behavior to start, a routine the behavior itself, and a reward which is how our brain learns to remember this pattern for the future. According to Duhigg, “you cannot extinguish a bad habit, you can only change it” (63). Duhigg suggests that in order to change ones bad habit the “Golden Rule” must be implied. The Golden Rule is a theory of shifting a habit by retaining the old cue and reward, and tries to change only the routine. Duhigg’s answer to the question in the chapter title, “Are we responsible for our habits?” is simply “Yes.” If we have an awareness of our habits, then we are responsible for their consequences. In the case of Angie Bachmann, she should be held accountable for her gambling debts because she was well aware of her own bad habit and did not try to seek for help.
When people hear the word addiction, most people picture an alcoholic that spends hours a night at the bar, or meth addict that sleeps in the streets and prostitutes herself out to obtain money for another hit, but what various people refuse to realize is that addiction has become an epidemic in the United States. Addiction is everywhere from the UPS man that takes smoke breaks every few delivery’s, to your best friend 's dad whose appears to have everything put together but spends his evenings at the casino. In my opinion, it 's essential to share your story, I’m restless to tell you experience with addiction.
Addiction is something that may seem inevitable but at the end it’s entirely the fault of a person who is addicted. In the article by Charles Duhigg ‘the power of habit’ Angie Bachmann got addicted to gambling, it was because of her fault as she kept accepting the offers from cassino and many other reasons.. Both knew what they were doing but still Angie let herself get into the situation, and the casino encouraged it. She was a well settled housewife, when everybody used to leave the house she was all alone. One fine day, while passing through the street she took a visit to casino just for a change. “She knew gambling could lead to trouble, so she set strict rules for herself. No more than one hour at the blackjack table per trip.” (pg 247,
Addiction has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, from my earliest memories of my father, until now as I am a licensed professional in the field of addiction as well as a person in long term recovery myself.
Smith, Melinda, and Lawrence Robinson. "Understanding Addiction." : How Addiction Hijacks the Brain. Robert Segal, 1999. Web. 20 May 2014.
Drug addiction is a very big problem in today’s society. Many people have had their lives ruined due to drug addiction. The people that use the drugs don’t even realize that they have an addiction. They continue to use the drug not even realizing that their whole world is crashing down around them. Drug addicts normally lose their family and friends due to drug addiction.