Addictive Disorders: A Case Study

As I began to research addictive disorders, I was overwhelmed by some of the information I uncovered. I knew that I was far from alone in my personal experiences and yet I was shocked by the statistical data pertaining to the prevalence of addictive disorders in the United States. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently reported that “in 2013, 22.7 million persons aged 12 or older needed treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol use problem”. (2014, p. 93) In another study which includes prescription drugs, tobacco and behavioral disorders, such as gambling in their data, the authors contend that the number of people suffering from addictive disorders could be as high as 47 percent of the country’s adult

Addiction (Addictive Disorder): The short form of the definition adopted in 2011 by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) reads, in part, that “addiction is a primary, chronic disease” and that it “is reflected in an individual pathologically pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use and other behaviors.” (2015, para. 1) They also discuss characteristics such as “impairment in behavioral control, craving, diminished recognition of significant problems with one’s behaviors and interpersonal relationships, and a dysfunctional emotional response.” (para. 2) One of the reasons I chose to use the ASAM definition was its inclusion of behavioral addictions such as gambling and sex, where some others focus only on substance use. I intend to include participants with behavioral addictions (sometimes called process addictions) in the study because I believe that these disorders can be just as destructive as substance abuse to the addict, their families and their communities. I have found that some organizations or experts seem to prefer using the term addictive disorder in place of addiction, but they are interchangeable.

2. Chronic: Addiction is widely accepted as a chronic disease. This means that it is ongoing, recurring and incurable which is why it is so important to continue treatment through life-long

Recovery: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released the following working definition of recovery in 2012, “A process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential.” (SAMHSA, 2012) This broad definition includes all disorders and treatment choices with a common goal of abstaining from unhealthy substances and behaviors in order to improve quality of life. I particularly like the SAMHSA definition because of its focus on recovery as a process and the individual’s role in bringing about