Psychological Factors of Addiction

The basis for addiction can be assigned to a combination of social, physiological and psychological aspects. Social factors highlight the fundamental tendency for humans to interact and form social groups which contributes to the commencement of addiction. The intricacy of the human brain has slowed the understanding of physiological and psychological factors, however experts agree the neurotransmitter dopamine is instrumental to explaining the cause of addiction and ascertaining successful pathways to assist addicted individuals. Analysing addiction within the domain of methamphetamine use provides an insight to the causes and potential treatment strategies for these individuals. There is no single treatment for methamphetamine addiction, meaning each facet must be isolated when determining the preeminent treatment plan, with the most effective strategies believed to target the elimination of specific addiction catalysts.

Socio-environmental determinants characterise the essence and nature of addiction, which influence available strategies to counteract this debilitating disease. Initiation to methamphetamine is often predicated by close social networks, such as family, friends and co-workers (Boshears, Boeri & Harbry, 2011). Morgan et al. (2002) highlights this, finding socially housed non-dominant monkeys more vulnerable to cocaine addiction than when housed separate from dominant monkeys, explaining reasons an individual may underestimate the consequences of consuming drugs or alternatively feel pressured to conform when close family members and friends are methamphetamine-users. Conversely, methamphetamine-use in the workforce is vindicated by productivity reasons, as employees attempt to harness the physiological benefits o...

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...ioural and pharmacological methods (Fowler, Volkow, Kassed & Chang, 2007).

Addiction is a disease that is fuelled by a combination of interrelated factors, creating the need for a holistic treatment strategy. Evidence outlining the contribution of social networks to addiction has led to the emergence of successful strategies which allow for the effective management of the condition. However, the lack of understanding pertaining to psychophysiological factors that underpin addiction has hampered the creation of widely-applicable counteraction strategies. To this point, addiction must be ‘managed’ on a short-term basis by responding to psychophysiological symptoms on an individual basis. Effective long-term treatment strategies for addicted individuals will develop contingent on continued clinical research aimed at attenuating the impact of drugs on neurocircuitry.