Understanding addiction is a complicated subject that inspires controversy and debate. Not only do people want to understand addiction because of the curiosity to understand human beings and human nature, but there are factors that go into the defining of addiction such as public policy and health care coverage. There are two theories that are on the opposite spectrum when it comes to addiction which include the “disease concept” and the “choice theory”. One defines addiction as a disease, something that is out of one’s control, while the other thinks of it as a choice or a moral deficiency that resides in a person. The consequence of this gap is the delay in gaining control over drug abuse. While the people who support the choice theory see …show more content…
Supporters of the “choice theory” support that there is no theoretical obstacle to acknowledging the fact that thoughts, desires, values and other mental phenomena can dominate bodily functions. There is no correlation between continual bar pressing during intracranial self-stimulation and increased dopaminergic neurotransmission in the nucleus accumbensour results are consistent with evidence that the dopaminergic component is not associated with the hedonistic or pleasure aspects of rewards. (Schaler 2002) In other words, there is no empirical evidence that supports the claims that the chemical rewards have no power to compel. For instance, I am rewarded when I eat a delicious chocolate pastry, but I often choose not to this because I feel it will hurt my weight. Same applies to people with alcohol and drug abuse problems. The mere ability of an addict to understand the damages they do by using drug and alcohol such as the damaging of personal relationships, loss of job, legal issues, etc. results in the ability for that person to rationalize that addiction results in consequences. Gene Heyman, the author of “Addiction: A Disorder of Choice” explains in an interview that when you look at other diseases such as schizophrenia you can not reason with the patient stating that it is not socially acceptable to have hallucinations or outbursts, that will not affect the patient at all, but when you look at addiction the social factors are the key reasons why people choose to stop. (Heyman 2009) Overall, addiction is activities that influenced by costs and
Sally Satel, author of “Addiction Doesn’t Discriminate? Wrong,” leads us down a harrowing path of the causes and effects that lead people to addiction. It can be a choice, possibly subconscious, or a condition that leads a person left fighting a lifelong battle they did not intend to sign up for. Mental and emotional health/conditions, personality traits, attitudes, values, behaviors, choices, and perceived rewards are just a few of the supposed causes of becoming an addict.
People argue whether drug addiction is a disease or a choice. Today, I will be discussing this argument in hopes to have a better understanding as to why this topic is so controversial. Throughout my research, I easily found information on this topic and I am still not sure I have found any answers.
A disease is what happens in the body as a result of those choices. As has been noted, many people do believe addiction is a sign of weakness. While the first time may be by choice, once the brain has been changed and affected by addiction. Over time the addict loses substantial control over his or her initially voluntary behavior, and it becomes compulsive (Leshner.) In Marc Branch’s “Drug Addiction. Is It a Disease or Is It Based on Choice? A Review of Gene Heyman’s Addiction: A Disorder of Choice” he discusses and explains Gene Heyman’s opinions on rather addiction is a disease or not. Heyman argues that people do not choose to be drug addicts, rather they make choices that lead to their habit of addiction. Heyman however does not believe addiction is an actual disease. Many others argue that addiction is not an actual disease because people can overcome the addiction without help or treatment. On the other hand, in Alan Leshner’s “Addiction Is a Brain Disease” he declares that addiction is an actual disease and explains “using drugs repeatedly over time changes brain structure and function in fundamental and long-lasting ways that can persist long after the individual stops using them”
Drug addiction is often characterized as being a complex brain disease that causes compulsive, uncontrollable, drug craving, seeking and use without any regards to the consequences they may bring upon themselves, or society. As long as the brain is exposed to these large amounts of dopamine on the reward system, it will inevitably develop a tolerance to the current dopamine levels, which it is receiving, lessening the pleasure the user will experience. In order to satisfy the brains “reward...
A big challenge that I will face is deciding which side I will take on a big debate in substance abuse counseling. Some people say that addiction is purely physical, while others disagree and believe that addiction is mostly psychological. Those who believe that it is psychological believe that it usually stems from abuse or as Jane Adams (2003) thinks an over dependence on parents. This side also says that addiction is operant conditioning and that cycle has to be broken (Silverman, Roll, & Higgins, 2008, p. 472). The other physical side of addi...
According to Leshner, drug addiction is a chronic brain disease that is expressed in the form of compulsive behaviors (Leshner, 2001). He believes that drug addiction is influence by both biological, and behavioral factors, and to solve this addiction problem we need to focus on these same factors. On the other hand, Neil Levy argues that addiction is not a brain disease rather it is a behavioral disorder embedded in social context (Levy, 2013). I believe, drug addiction is a recurring brain disease that can be healed when we alter and eliminate all the factors that are reinforcing drug addiction.
There is a growing trend that outside of substance use, activities that individuals engage in which they exhibit additive tendencies are now being considered to be addictions rather than the result of poor impulse control. For example, rather than using substances to cope or to achieve pleasurable feelings, individuals are also inclined to indulge in nondrug related self-rewarding behaviors for the same purposes (Karim & Chaudhri, 2012). The correlation between the use of substances and addictive behaviors is the way in which the brain interprets these feelings and how the brain’s reward system is triggered. By engaging in nondrug related activities,
Trade-offs often occur when the members of a system are competing with each other. It is one of the most prevailing acknowledgements for coexistence in the communities. The ‘Darwinian demon’ theory indicated that “Trade-offs between survival and reproduction, however, constraints any organism from realistically resembling that creature.” Similarly, ‘Hutchinson demon’ theory also pinpointed whereby “one species in a community dominates because it is best colonizing new patches, utilizing all the resources, avoiding predators and resisting stresses.” Trade-offs in a community can be controlled by several limiting factors, such as scarce of resources, abiotic factors like pH, salinity, presence of sunlight, and presence of competitors. Interspecific trade-offs are typically thought to be a requirement for species coexistence in communities at small spatial scales. Within meta-community context, trade-offs are still often harbingered as imperative for coexistence at a regional scale rather than local scale. There are three elements of trade-offs among competing species within a trophic level like the interaction between local and regional trade-offs, regional-scale coexistence and trade-offs and species diversity at multiple spatial scales (alpha, beta, gamma).
He is also the author of articles and twelve books on the subject of alcoholism, addiction and addiction treatment. In addition, ‘The surprising truth about addiction’ is published on May/ Jun 2004. Review: The general subject of this writing is addiction. Addiction is defined as the state of being enslaved to a habit, practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.
The article ‘The Likely Cause of Addiction Has Been Discovered, and It Is Not What You Think’ by Johann Hari shares an interesting perspective on the matter of addiction to drugs. It seeks to change the view that we have always had on addiction by fronting a different theory based on the findings of the author. The essay begins with a brief introduction of the timeline when drugs were banned, the war on drugs and how information on addiction has been unveiled to us. According to the author, addiction is an ethical shortcoming that is brought about by extreme decadent behavior that is almost a fixation that affects a captured mind. Several experiments are shared and the results that turn out in a bid to try and demystify what the author perceives as wrong views on addiction. As it appears, addicted people have a profound need to bond and shape associations. It's the means by which they get their fulfillment. If we cannot associate with each other, we will interface with anything we come across. From the findings and suggestions in the article, there is a huge surge of optimism that
So when an addict makes a decision of whether to indulge in his addiction or not, he is fully aware that the addiction is harmful to him — yet he consciously makes the choice to perform this action (or take the substance, whatever the case may be). This means that the addict
Not all proponents of the choice theory are as dogmatic as the moral and legal models. In a slightly more moderate opinion, Satsel & Lilienfeild (2014) point out a need to acknowledge the limits that the Medical Model has with regards to recovery. They point out that, in order to fully understand addiction, we need to have a broad perspective of the problems the addicted person has. Their conclusion is, “Thankfully, addicts can choose to recover and are not helpless victims of their own hijacked brains.” (Satsel & Lilienfield,
Have you ever witnessed the effects of addiction? Do you ever wonder if an addiction is one’s choice or if it’s a horrible disease someone must live with? This is one of the most controversial subjects people have been discussing for decades because of the many different opinions. Most people feel addiction needs to be looked at as a disease because it will help those struggling with it feel more comfortable asking for help. Some even say the addicts will feel less ashamed of themselves if they feel that what they’re going through isn’t their fault.
There are many assumptions of why an individual may use different substances and perhaps go from a “social” user to becoming addicted. Understanding the different theories models of addiction many help in the process of treatment for the addict. Although people in general vary in their own ideologies of addiction when working as a clinician one must set aside their own person beliefs. Typically as a clinician it is best for the client to define how they view their addiction and their view may encompass more than one of the five theories. Some theories suggest genetic and other biological factors whiles others emphasize personality or social factors. In this study three theories are defined and given to three different people with different cultural backgrounds, different ideologies, different experiences, and most importantly different reference point of addiction.
Trying to decide my feelings on whether or not drug addiction is a disease or a choice is complicated. There are so many different opinions surrounding this argument it is to feel overwhelmed with the information. My feelings surrounding the topic get even further clouded because of a personal situation. When you’re close to the situation it becomes harder to be objective.