Addiction As A Disease Essay

Addiction Should Not be Classified As a Disease Many people believe they know addiction and are confident in their ability to explain it, but do they really know the ins and outs? Many have debated what addiction really is in terms of its effect on the brain and cause. The general consensus in the scientific community has been the Brain Disease Model which classifies addiction as a disease. I argue that this model is not completely accurate and can lead to misconceptions, as well as a lack of treatment opportunity for people suffering from addiction. Addiction is a complex multifaceted issue that cannot be accurately represented by just one model or definition. The brain disease model needs to be reevaluated because it lacks accuracy and does

The idea comes from basic behaviorism”(Griffel and Hart). This idea that addiction can be treated partially by behavioral changes has been proven to be effective but is excluding when you look at addiction from the perspective of the brain disease model. Our brain functions on the basis of a reward system and habits, addiction plays into this role and therefore can be treated to an extent by reversing the habit.“The brain disease model is far too limited to make sense of research that indicates addiction cannot be reduced to the effects of a drug on the brain”(Sunshine Coast). This shows that the brain disease model is outdated and excludes useful information that can help in creating a more effective treatment plan. When it comes to something so serious as addiction, it is imperative that any and all useful information is included. What helps the majority might not be what helps someone else, and excluding valid information is excluding that person's chance of finding the right treatment. Finding these alternate treatment plans is essential to broadening the options for recovery, and this should be included in any model that tries to accurately represent

“Even today, some politicians enact misguided drug policy based on these neuro exaggerations”(Levy). Not only had the brain disease model affected treatment plans, but the view one addiction its promoting had now affected politics and other societal issues. This idea that addiction is a disease puts focus on the drug's interaction with the brain. This in turn leads to the belief that if you take the drug away, you take the addiction away. “Research has now shown repeatedly that alternative reinforcers can be used effectively to treat substance-use disorders”(Levy). New treatments have been developed and mostly ignored for the simple fact that they don't follow the idea of addiction being a disease. Creating a new model that includes older data, but opens way for new information to be accepted, would be a much more specific way of looking at addiction. It can lead to progression and adaptivity which is essential in the case of