Addiction is a term that has traditionally been used to refer to psychiatric syndrome that is caused by illicit drug use. Actually, addition is the only psychiatric condition whose symptoms are regarded as an illegal activity. In most cases, this term is described on the basis of drug use, which is the main focus of many research and treatment programs. Generally, drug addiction has significant negative effects on individuals using the drug and those around them such as family and friends. Family and friends are usually forced to watch their loved ones wilt away in illicit drug use. While addiction has traditionally been regarded as a psychiatric condition, there are numerous debates that have emerged on whether it’s a disease or merely an immoral act by a selfish individual. My standpoint is that addiction is actually a disease because of the observations I have made on how illicit drug use takes control of the addict. I have watched my brother battle prescription drug addiction and eventually passed away from an overdose at the age of thirty-two years. As a result, I believe that addiction is a disease because it changes the functioning of the addict’s brain. In essence, studies have demonstrated the effects of chemical substances on the brain and how addiction affects feelings, thoughts, and actions.
Drugs and Alcohol
For nearly 85 years, the government has prohibited pscychoactive drugs. American leaders attempted to do the same to alcohol with Prohibition in the 1920?s. In any society, drug use plays a part in the people?s culture. Whether it be a native taking hallucinogens for a religious ceremony, a destitute alcoholic drinking on a city street, or a group of teenagers smoking marijuana, drugs and alcohol have the same effects in any culture. The question of ?
Drugs cause an overall disturbance in a subjects’ physiological, psychological and emotional health. “At the individual level, drug abuse creates health hazards for the user, affecting the educational and general development of youths in particular” (“Fresh Challenge”). In youth specifically, drug abuse can be triggered by factors such as: a parent’s abusive behavior, poor social skills, family history of alcoholism or substance abuse, the divorce of parents or guardians, poverty, the death of a loved one, or even because they are being bullied at school (“Drugs, brains, and behavior”) .
Drug addiction is a disease of the brain. The initial decision to use drugs is voluntary, however once that decision is made, the decision to become an addict in involuntary. “Addiction affects the brain circuits involved in reward, motivation, memory and inhibitory control. When these circuits are disrupted, so is a person’s capacity to freely choose not to use drugs.” (Addiction Science: From Molecules to Managed Care) Drug addiction and/or abuse is a huge problem in our country today. In order to effectively combat this issue it is important to understand drug addiction; what it is, how it effects people and what our federal government says about it.
Drug abuse and addiction not only has negative effects in the lives of the people involved, but also in the lives of their close relatives, friends and immediate society. It leads to disintegration, failure in school, loss of employment and violence. Although intake of drugs is a voluntary and conscious decision initially, continuous intake of drugs changes the brain and challenges the self-control of the “addicted person” and inhibits the ability to resist extreme desire for drug intake.
The consequences that follow the use of any drug are unfavorable. Although many individuals may see drug addiction as a mere lifestyle choice, it is a problem that many individuals suffer from and inevitably a growing issue that leaves major social and economic impacts.
Addiction is the result of a gradual accretion of neurological tendencies based upon the ingestion of a particular substance or the taking of a particular action. It is cumulative, building over time, and varies in strength from individual to individual based on their own abilities to exercise willpower over themselves and their actions. Some people become addicted more easily than others. In the end, addiction is the result of a series of choices made by the individual. These choices usually have a massive impact upon the life of the person, modifying their friendships, family life, professional life and psychological/spiritual well being. The cumulative aspect of addiction is built up by an individual willfully choosing to either not see the direction they are heading in or to not take action even though they sense themselves following the path of an addict. Some kind of deterioration in their life is bound to take place, and willful ignorance is all that could keep one from noticing that. Likewise, addiction can he helped and cured by an individual choosing to do something different, to adjust their habitual reliance on a specific substance or action for pleasure or escape or whatever quality they are searching for. Only the individual can make that choice, but once they have made that choice other people and institutions can help them.
Substance abuse and addiction have become a social problem that afflicts millions of individuals and disrupts the lives of their families and friends. Just one example reveals the extent of the problem: in the United States each year, more women and men die of smoking related lung cancer than of colon, breast and prostate cancers combined (Kola & Kruszynski, 2010). In addition to the personal impact of so much illness and early death, there are dire social costs: huge expenses for medical and social services; millions of hours lost in the workplace; elevated rates of crime associated with illicit drugs; and scores of children who are damaged by their parents’ substance abuse behavior (Lee, 2010). This paper will look at the different theories used in understanding drug abuse and addiction as well as how it can be prevented and treated.
Addiction is a difficult disease that involves several different factors including biological, psychological and sociological aspects. Anderson (1997) states that substance use refers generally to the ingestion of illicit drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, opiates, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, PCP, amphetamines, etc. The use of illicit drugs, such as alcohol and nicotine, are less frequently included in this definition, despite their widespread use and undisputed potential for harm. Substance abuse, however, is a more value-laden term which implies substance use, probably over time, which is somehow detrimental or harmful. Thus, substance use need not constitute substance abuse, although they often coexist. Wormer, Davis (2010) indicates that addiction is often defined as an illness not just of the individual but of the whole family. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)’s 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health revealed that an estimated 22 million Americans age 12 or older suffered from substance dependence or abuse due to alcohol, illicit drugs or both.
The world of addiction is a highly misunderstood realm. The word “addiction” itself is extremely stigmatizing. Many people first think of personal failure and weakness, which is a result of the moral model commonly associated with addictions. However, substance dependence is not a personal weakness. It is a chronic disease suffered by many people across the world. Classifying drug and alcohol addiction as a disease is an exceedingly controversial topic (Murphy, Lynch, Oslin, McKay, & TenHave, 2007). If society is to believe and agree with this classification, they must admit that substance dependence is an illness, a disease, and not a human failing or weakness. Those with substance use disorders in particular need more understanding from the public and more advocates to speak on their behalf without judgment.