Is addiction a disease or a choice
Addiction involves changes in the way the body and brain function. Addiction can be caused by the frequent use of harmful substances by the individual for an extended period. Obsession leads to a discussion where most people are in a dilemma, wondering whether it is a disease or a personal choice? Some support it as a disease since if one takes a long time without getting the treatment, it may have a severe effect. While others consider it as a choice, since its one’s decision to use the substance or not to use and therefore, its one’s decision to use the element and ending up being addicted to it, others consider it is a choice since some people will get well without necessary getting professional treatment. One may decide to stop using harmful substances, and they overcome their disorder challenge. Therefore, the research will be evaluating whether addiction is a disease, or is it a choice.
Empirical literature review
In this section will involve the studies which have been done by other people. The research will discuss the choice theory of addiction, the disease theory of addiction,
Choice theory of addiction
The choice theory states that all human behaviours are a choice. Where the motivation towards the decision can be either intrinsic or extrinsic, whereby there are some external factors or the environment that one is operating from may be the cause of one deciding to take the harmful substance. Most of the people choose to take those substances as a form of coping up with their new conditions. While others are motivated by their internal pressures or desires to consume harmful content, which leads to addiction. Mostly addiction is caused by the factors that cause unhappiness to the individual. Therefore, it’s upon the individual to collect their behaviour so that they can overcome the problem. Thus, it’s considered that when one can find a path in which one can get his or her happiness will be in a position to overcome addiction. One these individuals start recovering, they will be successful for a while, but later their condition worsens. Hence, it’s the decision or choice of the individual to go back to their formal requirements.
Choice theory concentrates on the addict’s behaviours as well as offering a solution to the causes of their unhappiness. Most of the abuser uses and relies on substances to couple up with stress and unwanted emotions. Continues to use these harmful substances lead to body changes where the body and the brain cannot operate without consuming the substances (rice, 2009). Hence element depended on its cost by once an individual’s desire to satisfy their uncomfortable situation. Thus, as a result, individual body and mind become conditioned to operate under the influenced of those substances. The study tries to evaluate a new method of dealing with unhappiness as well as trying to satisfy it with short term pleasure from a drug instead of determining whether addiction is a disease or a choice.
The disease model of addiction
The disease model of addiction classifies addiction and alcoholism as a disease since it involves chemical issues, continues chronic, and if not treated, it is fatal. It is a situation where one is obsessed with using drug and alcohol, which is caused by either genetic, biological environment or neurological source of origin. Since addiction fits in the traditional medical model of diseases where one indicates abnormal conditions, discomfort and dysfunction or distress hence can be referred to as disease
The medical community agree that since addiction cause brain disorder, therefore, needs for treatment is necessary so the addicted can recover for the illness. Even though many people critics the ideas that addiction is a disease since most of them take advantages of their condition but v they are responsible for their addiction behaviour (sanitizer, 2014). Altogether, people should be accountable for their addictive behaviour and take the necessary treatment action for them to recover.
Continues uses of this addictive substances course the brain to emit a high level of the chemicals that are connected to pleasure or reward. Continues release of this chemicals course changes in the brain system depending on the award, motivation and memory. This chemical change causes an individual to have the desire of this substance to fill usually. The individual will continue the passion and calving for addictive substance hence continues uses despite their harmful effects. Most of the choric diseases cause an individual to stop caring about they wellbeing as it is with addiction (centre on addiction, 2017). The effects of these substances on the brain can remain for a long time even after one stop to consume. Therefore according to this theory addiction is a disease.