The Disease of Addiction

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.

In order to better understand addiction as a disease as opposed to a moral dilemma it first must be broken down. First you must look at the way in which the chemicals affect the brain. The first attempt at partaking in any mind altering substance can be looked at as a choice to the individual. However what happens after that first

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.

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 an epidemic in the United States of America. Yet out of all the addictive substances that are available to Americans, Alcohol has become the leading stimulant to flourish this outbreak. According to the 2014 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration statistics, 60.9 million Americans considered themselves binge drinkers while 1 in 10 underage alcohol users, age 12 to 20, already themselves considered heavy alcohol users (SAMHSA, http://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/NSDUH-FRR1-2014/NSDUH-FRR1-2014.pdf ). Since alcohol addiction can affect any socioeconomic status and any street corner in America, many Americans know a friend or a family member that has been struck by this epidemic. I myself am one of those Americans. Although my grandmother lost her battle to addiction more

Addiction is when a person cannot stop abusing a drug or substance, even if they want to quit. The effects from continuing drug use take over the mind and body. Drug addiction is classified as a "relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences to the drug addict and those around them" (NIDA 4). Repeated drug use leads to addiction, which then leads to a disease that changes the brain (CDC).

Addiction is a disease that affects one’s behavior and brain to slowly lose control over drug use. The repeat high provided by drug abuse will overtime cause the brain to crave the drugs and the high that they provide. Opioid drugs that one can be addicted to include, codeine, hydrocodone, morphine, oxycodone, tramadol and more. Some stronger prescription cough medicines will contain opioids. Opioids are often prescribed to relieve pain and are prescribed by doctors often for tooth pain, surgical recovery, injury, and chronic conditions. With the common prescription of drugs containing opioids addiction is becoming more and more common. The article provide speaks of a young man prescribed a narcotic pain reliever for the injury he

A prevailing belief in the field of addiction is that drug addiction is a “brain disease” characterized by “uncontrollable, compulsive drug craving, seeking, and use, even in the face of negative health and social consequences” (Leshner 2). In his article “Addiction Is a Brain Disease,” Alan I. Leshner claims that repeated use of drugs alters brain structure and function (1) and that once addicted, few are able to revert back to occasional use (2). Because of their “uncontrollable” behavior, he believes addicts cannot quit on their own and need formal treatment (4). Although Leshner’s ideas represent wide held beliefs in the psychiatric field, recently an array of studies, such as Rat Park and the Vietnam veterans, produce evidence that disproves Leshner’s beliefs that addiction is compulsive, does not exist on a spectrum, and needs professional intervention to resolve, and instead suggests that environmental factors play a larger role in addiction and recovery than was previously believed.

Addiction is a complex disease that is influenced by several factors including: genetic, developmental, experiential and environmental factors (Goldstein & Volkow, 2002). Alcohol dependence, otherwise referred to as alcoholism, is characterized by frequent use of alcohol resulting in intoxication, a preoccupation with alcohol, compulsion to seek and consume alcohol, the inability to limit alcohol intake and the emergence of negative emotional state when the drug is absent (Gilpin & Koob, 2008; Ernst et al., 2012; Kunce, & Newton, 1989; Crews, 2012). There is an estimated 85,000 deaths annually caused by unhealthy alcohol consumption. Medical issues such as liver disease, neurological problems and malignancies, in addition to behavioral and

In today's society, addiction is not viewed as brain disease. Many believe the act of taking illicit drugs or indulging in addictive behaviors, such as gambling, is a voluntary act. However, studies of the past few decades support the idea of addiction as brain disease. Unfortunately, this concept is still questioned because the behaviors of addiction have not yet been fully linked to neurobiology.

The omnipresence of the disease perception of addiction disguises the fact that it did not appear from the buildup of scientific discoveries. The meaning to addiction-as-disease has been continuously reformed, commonly in the path of conceptual flexibility, such that it now bears an embarrassment of riches: an increasing variety of growing range of supposedly addictive experiences which do not assist the intake of drugs. Doing something excessively does not solely represent addiction. Addiction is preoccupying your life around it, as well as, setting it as the prime and most important activity over everyone and everything else. Addiction can make the person become very obsessive over the activity as their day-to-day life revolves around it. On the other hand, abstinence is the very opposite, it is the form of ‘not doing '. It allows someone to act willingly to their own beliefs. However, this still causes triumph as people who do not ‘do ' are still noticed, as well as those who ‘do ' within their social circles as they are breaking norms which are required in today 's society. This makes the person become visible. You get two types of ‘not doing '. They are quitting something that was a habit of the person such as becoming an ex-smoker or an ex-drinker, and ‘never doings’ which are acts a person has never engaged in, for example, sex, smoking etc. Both types define one’s identity but their social significance differs as quitting is easier to manage than ‘never doing’.

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

The loose interpretation of the word addiction is “anything irresistible that creates problems.” According to the American Society of Addiction, the medical definition of addiction is “a primary chronic disease of the brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry. Dysfunction in these circuits leads to characteristics biological, psychological, social and spiritual manifestations. This is reflected in an individual pathologically pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use or other behavior.”

In reality, drug addiction is an unpredictable ailment, and stopping takes more than great goals or an in number will. Truth be told, because drugs change the mind in ways that cultivate compulsive drug misuse, stopping is troublesome, notwithstanding for the individuals why should prepared do as such The dependence on medications is a troublesome thing for any person to bargain with. Often, habit prompts the decay of a man 's prosperity, budgetary security, and health. Drug addicts experience serious difficulties an occupation, their families endure the results, and here and there the addicts get themselves either in a bad position with the law, or destitute on the road. The issue of treating medication abusers has

Drug addiction is one of society 's biggest problems and it is rampant among teenagers and young adults and one of the most abused drugs is marijuana. Cannabis sativa or marijuana usually grows throughout tropical and temperate climates and then plant 's stems, leaves, flowers, and seeds are then dried. What attracts to most users is the mind altering effect these parts produce which is addictive to some extent. It is usually smoked as cigarette, or in a pipe. It is also smoked in blunts, in which cigars will be emptied of tobacco and refill with marijuana or sometimes it is combined with another drug. It can also be brewed as tea or mixed in food. Hashis is a more concentrated, resinous form which is sticky black liquid, hash oil. The