Addiction Is Not A Disease Essay

When it comes to phycology, people need to think about how it is everywhere. Why do grocery stores not have clocks, or why do casinos not have windows? However, many other factors play into psychology and can show why people love or hate it. I am majoring in the field of phycology. Psychologists face many issues daily, including people who are substance abusers, in other words, addiction treatment. The disease is complex and can be very hard to treat. In this essay, I plan to address the problems psychologists face when determining if addiction is a disease or a choice. I plan to address those issues using three main key points. I also intend to teach my fellow majors, mental health workers, and psychologists that addiction is a disease; I

According to Schaler (2000), addiction is a choice, although it may not be easy. An example is tearing your ACL and being prescribed painkillers. You may choose to take the pain killers to help ease the pain but continue taking them without pain, then addiction may follow. Most people do not realize they are addicted to something until they lack control, which makes the difference between addiction being a choice. Dr. Marc Lewis is on the argument side of this being a choice because a person’s activity that you get enough of triggers pleasure in the brain. Addiction is a disease, which is what I chose to go into detail about. When a person becomes addicted to a substance, the brain's “reward system” is highly affected. Addiction is a disease because the chemicals in your brain, called dopamine and serotonin, which cross a blood-brain barrier, tell the body that it needs the substance you are addicted to, so when addicted to a substance, the dopamine in the brain becomes altered which leads to a cycle of addiction. Just a little insight on dopamine, dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the brain that is released into the brain when we experience

Agrawal, A., Verweij, K. J. H., Gillespie, N. A., Heath, A. C., Lessov-Schlaggar, C. N., Martin, N. G., Nelson, E. C., Slutske, W. S., Whitfield, J. B., & Lynskey, M. T. (2012, July 17). The genetics of addiction-A translational perspective. Nature News. https://www.nature.com/articles/tp201254 3. This source states that addiction is a disease that constantly relapse. This supports my argument because it states exactly what I argue which is addiction is a disease. It even states that it constantly relapses, and that supports my argument because an example I can use is cancer is a form of disease as well, and just like addiction, cancer-free patients can relapse. Stanbrook, M. B. (2012, February 7). Addiction is a disease: We must change our attitudes toward addicts. CMAJ. https://www.cmaj.ca/content/184/2/155.short 4. This source supports the opposing side by stating that addiction is a choice. I am arguing that addiction is a disease and the side that argues that addiction is a choice would like this resource better. The source is a great one, it states that addiction is a choice. schaler, jeffrey A. (2009). Addiction is a