Check Point: Rough Draft of Research Paper Research Writing / COM220 Adam Meehan Madeline Chavez October 13, 2010
Drug addiction, disease or choice, the National Institution of Drugs Association (NIDA) has determined Drug Addiction a chronic, relapsing brain disease while opposing views debate Drug Addiction as solely a choice controlled voluntarily? Drug addiction is now recognized as a chronic relapsing brain disease expressed in the form of compulsive behaviors. Hence, the estimated economic cost contributed to
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Someone who abuses drugs may suffer negative consequences from using, as the addict does, but generally can and does stop when these consequences become too severe. The addict may be unable to stop, even after negative consequences, without medical and/or behavioral help. Says Steven Hyman, M.D., director of the National Institute of Mental Health, "An alcoholic taking a drink looks like anyone else engaged in that behavior, but what 's happening in his or her head is different.” He or she is in the grip of a powerful compulsion that may lead to a binge. (Firshein, Janet) Some have characterized addiction as a behavioral choice and can be controlled voluntarily. There is an interview with Gene M Heyman a professor at Harvard University, as the conversation around his ideas of addiction being a voluntary decision and why anyone would want to volunteer to be an addict. Gene Hymens findings are and what they mean. The author argues what has been said about addiction in so many studies, “drug addiction is a Disease” this means it is not a choice. Heyman states it is simply an act of voluntary choice. While he does not pretend to be a policy expert, he does believe that treatment should consist of non-drug activities to lower the value of the “drug.” (Akst, Daniel) Heyman states, “In a most impressive display of brain technology, scientists have used scanning technologies to observe metabolic activity of the brain in action. In a typical
Further, circumstances such as economical, health, or personal issues resulting in a person’s choice to take drugs ironically can be the same reasons for them to either change their pattern, stop taking drugs, or get help versus the unavoidable, involuntary effect of a diseased brain. Additionally, those that choose to continue being addicted over a long period of time illustrates that by making that choice they are not helpless compared to a person who has a chronic disease. “Rather than being the inevitable, involuntary product of a diseased brain, these actions represent the essence of voluntariness. The addict’s behavior can be modified by knowledge of the consequences. Involuntary behavior cannot (Satel, Goodwin, 1998, pg. 5).
Over the years, there have been many discussions on whether addiction is a disease or if it is a choice. Addiction has been considered a disease for many years because it shows the same signs as a disease would. Many believe that addiction is a choice and not a disease. Two articles discuss the topic of whether addiction is a disease or a choice and the article that is saying it is a disease is "Addiction Is a Disease and Needs to Be Treated as Such" by David Sack and the other article is stating that it is a choice and this article is titled "Addiction is not a disease- and were treating addicts incorrectly" by Kyle Smith. Article one, "Addiction Is a Disease and Needs to Be Treated as Such" by David Sack is better than article two "Addiction
Addiction: is it a disease or a choice? A disease can be described as “a disorder of structure or function that produces specific signs or symptoms, or that affects a specific location and is not simply a direct result of a physical injury.” Knowing this, one can believe addiction is a disease. It is something that is done frequently, that usually does not end, just as a disease; it cannot cease on its own, because it requires some form of treatment. The big question regarding addiction is why people believe it to be a choice opposed to a disease.
I believe drug addiction is a choice that evolves into a disease over time if the drug continues to be used regularly by a person. Drug addiction is a disease that a person makes a conscious decision to receive. Every single person that is addicted to drugs ultimately put themselves in the position that they are in because of their personal choices, however, I don’t believe a single person that is addicted to drugs woke up one morning and said, “I think I will get addicted drugs today”. They consciously chose to ignore the fact that drugs are addictive and hoped it would not happen to them. Gene Heyman argues that drug addiction is completely a choice made by an individual and that it is not at all a disease, which stands in contrast to a widely- accepted view by most health officials.
Should the cause of addiction rely on people 's actions? These days, drugs can be found everywhere, and it may seem like everyone 's doing them. Lots of people are tempted by the excitement or escape that drugs seem to offer. But learning the facts about drugs can help one see the risks of chasing this excitement or escape. Several people argue whether drug addiction is a disease or a choice. Discussing this argument in hopes to have a better understanding as to why this topic is so controversial. For those on the other side of the argument they claim just the opposite. According to a source on the Internet entitled "Saint Jude Retreat House", alcoholism and drug addiction are not diseases because those types of behaviors can be avoided and there is help available to change these behaviors.To call addiction a disease and not a choice, evidence will need to show the flaws in calling addiction a choice, show how drugs of abuse work, how addiction fits into the disease model, identify what organ is primarily affected, and be able to recognize what the symptoms of drug addiction are. There are some very educated individuals who believe that addition is a behavior and that behaviors are a result of choices. According to Gene Heyman, a Harvard psychologist, drug addiction is a choice, not a disease. In his book, Addiction: A Disorder of Choice, Heyman states that "addiction is not a disease and that it is a pattern of persistent but
There are two central debates that often arise when speaking of addiction ; either addiction is a disease caused by the brain, or addiction is a matter of weak will. In comparison the disease model would take responsibility away from the addict and place it on biological reasoning ; the weak will model, would ultimately condemn the addict and place blame on the addicts decision making process and thus blame the addict for their behavior.
The idea that addiction is a disease is an article of faith in the study of drug and alcohol dependence, providing the foundation for much of the treatment and public policy related to addiction since the early 1900s. In a forthcoming book, psychologist Dr. Heyman dismantles this time-honoured assumption, arguing that addiction is first and foremost governed by personal choice, and does not therefore fit clinical conceptions of behavioural illness. Heyman has done research on choice, cognition and drug use. He has done volunteer work at a methadone clinic and he currently teaches courses on addiction at Harvard University (Addiction: New Research Suggests It’s a Choice).
The disease model of addiction and the moral model of addiction provide completely different explanation for the tendency of substance abuse. The disease model of addiction predates to 1784 when the American physician Benjamin Rush published a pamphlet which discussed alcoholism in medical terms and outlined treatments for what he considered was a “disease” (Atkins, 2014, p. 52). This model of addiction generally argues that it is not the individuals fault for their addiction to drugs and that not all, but some people, will inevitably become addicts in the future (p. 52). Inversely, the moral model of addiction does not view addiction as something that an individual “cannot control,” rather this model looks at addiction as something that an individual can certainly control but that the individual does not chose to because of “weak moral character” (p.52). Although both of these models have been, and still are, widely applied to other substances, the most common substance that it was used was for alcohol.
The issue that is being addressed is drug addiction. There are two different sides to it. Some people will say that it is a choice and some people will say that it is a disease. “Addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry (American Society of Addiction Medicine). Addiction affects the brain in many ways. It affects the neurotransmission and interactions within the brain.
There are many Americans who are addicted to drugs. When you are an addict cleansing your body from drugs will be hard going cold turkey. Quitting cold turkey means self detox. Self detox could be potentially dangerous especially when alcohol and / or drugs have practically demolished your life. Admitting that you have a problem is the first step to recovery but you can not do this alone. Every person is different so while one form of treatment may be good for you it may not be good for someone else or vise verse. You have to find treatment that best fits your situation. The choice of drug dependency will help determine what treatment is best for you, even the criminal justice system has its own way of treating criminals with drug addiction and/ or mental problems.
Drug and alcohol addiction is a very serious and widespread problem in America, and across the globe. Drug addiction is a constant craving, seeking, and using of a substance, despite the negative consequences it may have on the addict or those around them. When drug use becomes more frequent, it is considered drug abuse. Once an individual’s drug abuse is can no longer be controlled, and they are using the drug to get through everyday life, it beomes an addiction. A person on drugs has an altered way of thinking, behaving, and perceiving. There are treatment facilities all over the world dedicated to help those suffering with drug addictions. All
Addiction begins with a choice, not necessarily a choice to become dependent upon a substance, rather a choice to take a walk through the land of oblivion at least once. A person does not simply wake up one morning addicted to heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine or any other substance. Perhaps a fleeting moment of despair, or the longing for acceptance brings this individual to the doorstep of addiction, prepared to move heaven and earth to find their next fix. Bruce Alexander himself writes, “I began to consider then that the current theories of substance abuse were wrong; that people used, not be they HAD to pharmacologically, but because the substance was one valid way of adapting to difficult circumstances” (Alexander 161). Just as the
The missing piece of this puzzle is what is referred to as psychological dependence/addiction. Most people (even addicts themselves) may not believe that a psychological addiction could explain rampant, life destroying drug abuse. The reason for this according to Dodes is “Because they think that to say something is caused by psychological factors means it is a question of will power—and that they are being told they are lacking in willpower” (79). Nothing could be further from the truth. Here, the psychological addiction factor referred to is behavioral dependence. There is an inclination to think that one has a choice, but according to Dodes, “The essence of human psychology lies in not simply what is in awareness, but also the unconscious thoughts, conflicts and feelings that drive much of our behavior especially actions that are problematic and irrational” (79). In order to illustrate this point, all one has to do is think about some non-drug addictions such as gambling or sex, which also have serious
Addiction is a choice and by classifying addiction as a disease, we are just enabling drug addicts to take no responsibility for their own actions in their lives. By labeling addiction as a medical condition it creates a false assumption that addicts have no control over their own behavior. People become addicts because of their behavior, not their brain chemistry. The disease concept is so popular because it gives people an easy way out; if they inherited their addiction they can’t be responsible for their own behavior. The disease model of addiction is flawed for a number of reasons; first, most people who take drugs do not become addicted, but may take drugs for a period of time, then stop when they choose to do so. Many well respected professors and scientist claim addiction is a scapegoat behavior that has been incorrectly identified as a physical or mental illness, an addict is only a victim of bad science and misguided policy.
The article’s authors counter the “Choice Model,” explaining that a person cannot choose whether to be addicted or not. They outline the path leading to addiction by emphasizing the cause as a physical malfunction in the reward circuitry of the brain. They claim that an addict’s abnormalities in his or her reward system causes the addict to achieve the state of euphoria or “high” by ingesting substances or addictive behaviors. In addition, one’s compulsive behaviors and substance abuse can hurt the reward system and result in “impaired impulse control and addiction” (Matesa and Bickman), so it is a deleterious cycle. Lastly, the article espouses that the “Choice Model” is in some way blaming the individual and is a “setup for relapse” (Matesa and Bickman). Viewing addiction as a disease, the ASAM says, will make it easier for addicts to receive help and conquer addiction. Proponents of the “Choice Model” disagree, explaining that viewing addiction as a disease is more of a self-fulfilling prophecy than a way to draw help.