Sociology Of Addiction Essay

The three models of addiction examined in this week’s readings include the medical model, the psychosocial model, and the disease of the human spirit model. The medical model “rests on the assumption that disease states are the result of a biological dysfunction, possibly one on the cellular or even molecular level” (Doweiko, 2012, p. 333). Many consider this model and “maintain that much of human behavior is based on the interaction between the individual’s biological predisposition and the environment” (Doweiko, 2012, p. 333). Individuals under this model view free will “as an illusion” (Doweiko, 2012, p. 333). There is controversy regarding this model as “to the degree to which the

Many people believe the misconception that an addiction is a moral problem and not a disease. To better understand the reasons why an additicition is in fact a disease; I will identify several types of addictions, and the problems associated with them. I will examine reasons why certain people are more susceptible for developing an addiction. Also, I will determine why many addicts deny their problems and many recovery methods addicts use to fight their illness. Researching these issues, will help aid my claim that addiction is a disease.

Although, there are many efforts to reduce the stigma of addiction, false concepts among individuals still persist. Many individuals may describe drug addicts as “people who are morally weak and cannot control their impulses”, or simply just “people who cannot get their life together”. Such misconceptions suggesting that

The authors explain that addiction is caused by people adopting excessive habit to compensate for the painful void from lack of psychosocial integration. The lack of psychosocial integration is rooted from the dislocation

Addiction is formed by an initial choice fueled by external beguiling factors. From the time we are born, we know absolutely nothing, our minds are a blank slate. In fact, according to Jean Piaget’s cognitive stages of development, the mind does not begin to think abstractly from concrete ideas or reason until the final stage (formal operational), which lasts all the from age twelve and on. Because of this, we can deduce that at any age in our development, we are susceptible to external factors influencing our behavior. With that being said, a person’s decision to participate in the use of any substance is influenced by much more than their knowledge that it is “wrong”. Peer pressure, stress, curiosity or even medical practices can ignite the choice to abuse substances. The majority of addictions that begin in the pre-teen and teenage years stem from their exposure to drugs and alcohol in the media, many even claim that

Addiction does not have any infectious agent and is not biologically degenerative. Additionally, it does not have any pathological process, which casts serious doubts over its being a disease. On the other hand, empirical evidence has found that not only are addicts able to regulate their addiction, they are also able to alter their addictive behaviors to align them with real world issues and challenges. The risk-taking behaviors exhibited by addicts have a behavioral beginning, and can explain the behavioral etiology of addiction. The fact that most research points out the behavioral basis of addiction, and laws that have been instituted to prevent addictions. This especially pertains to chemical substances, indicates that prevailing understanding in both the scholarly and legal realms, considers addiction as voluntary and a matter of choice. Therefore, the argument that addictive behaviors are biologically mediated, is inaccurate, because not only can addictive behaviors be regulated, they can be give up with enough will power. The description of addiction underlines the role of conscious choice that is inherent in the addictive behavior, and therefore it can be concluded that addiction is a choice and not a

It is impossible to treat a disease without including all of the possible primary causes of the symptoms. In the same regard, it is unreasonable to identify addiction as coming from a singular source, or conceive a model in which to view it, without taking into consideration other influences. As the biopsychosocial model has come to the forefront in providing a better understanding of addiction, it is not enough; other pathways yet to be address require attention. Therefore, I maintain that until and unless we are willing to include all contributing factors in identifying a theory or model for addiction, we do a disservice to the individuals who are battling this disease. Let us examine the components of the FCP of Addiction Model. Biological influences take into consideration what the disease model classifies as an imbalance in the nervous system, though drug induced. The psychological component includes how a person learns, their motivation, personality, and how they interact with others. Since we are all a part of the world at large, and each of us identify with our own culture, we would be remiss not to consider the influence and impact of social norms and culture on addiction. I have intentionally touched briefly on the three modalities of the biopsychosocial model because my position is that there are other influential pathways to consider in the treatment of

In a sociological setting, addiction refers to the dependence an individual has on a drug, which has developed to such a vast extent that it has a severe and harmful impact on them (Wincup 2011: 5). Implying, that the individual is so reliant on the substance that without it they feel adverse effects (Wincup 2011: 5). Additionally, creating psychological and/or physiological necessity for the drug to avoid withdrawal symptoms (Levine-Rasky 2017). A common occurrence with an addiction is the abuse of a drug, which can result in some form of physical, mental, or social impairment (Levine-Rasky 2017). Whereas social determinants of health are the economic and social conditions that shape the health of individuals, communities, and jurisdictions (Clarke 2016:100). Multiple studies have demonstrated that the material and social circumstances that individuals are exposed to in their

The social model of addiction tries to recognize and repair systematic problems within society that could impact a person’s choice about substance use (Doweiko, 2015). Cultural, environmental, and family components of a person’s life are all a part of the social model. These influences can either enable the development of addiction or increase resistance against addiction. For instance, in distinct cultures and environments, the manufacture, sale, and distribution of illicit drugs are considered as acceptable behaviors for a person to prosper and gain respect (Doweiko, 2015). Social aspects such as poverty, community immersion, unemployment, and family structure either influence or guard the person from substance abuse. Identification of adverse social influences so that these concerns can be attended to will decrease the probability of the individual relapsing or the continued abuse of substances (Doweiko, 2015).

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 topic about addiction resonates in my life in many ways. First, sexual addiction is a generational struggle in both my biological and adopted family. As Ray spoke, my heart was gripped with a new understanding of how any addiction can be a vicious cycle and capture the lives of men and women. The most powerful point in the presentation is how the addiction cycle works within the chemistry of the brain. Emotional triggers lead to cravings, which leads to rituals, which turns into using the “drug of choice”, which leaves the user with shame and guilt. For me, the cycle usually begins when I am overwhelmed or very stressed out. I then start looking for chocolate or something that will take the edge from the feeling of stress. I then consume

There are many other vile addictions other than drugs. Johann Hari’s article title says “The Likely Cause of Addiction Has Been Discovered, and It Is Not What You Think,” after reading the article, it is exactly what comes to mind. Johann Hari points out some important themes on the drug addiction but it is not the only thing that can cause an addiction.

There are two theories that explain the meaning of addiction and are considered to be, the “Physical” and “Coping” Theory. Physical Theory talks about the Neuroadaptive Model that shows how the nervous system in the brain reacts to a certain effect from any type of substance. Coping Theory talks about how people tolerate themselves when managing their own personal problems by using their awareness and conscious mind. When we think of Cultural Construct, we think of culture and society . It is the meaning of temperest mentality, craving, tolerance, and withdraw which can affect the abilities of our brain and body to function throughout our lifestyle.

Many theorists have given a lot of different types of conceptualisations for addiction. The first broad category associate addiction with the biological, social and psychological dimensions such as gender stigma, peer pressure and culture. Orford (1992) provided a general

Specifically, the contemporary problem of drug and alcohol abuse is an issue of great importance worth examining for anthropologists as well as sociologists and other professionals who study factors that influence human behavior. "For thousands