Factors Influencing the Prevelence of Addiction Essay

Addiction Everyday we see and hear news articles and reviews that say: â€Å"I cannot put down Twilight†¦ it’s addicting!† or â€Å"I’m a Breaking Bad addict!† The way the term addiction is used in the media these days, many would overlook its actual significance and the trouble it causes for millions across the globe. Recently, many individuals have referred to addiction as anything that is a compulsive need or habit-forming, which could involve everything from substances, like nicotine or alcohol, to activities such as reading a compelling book or getting hooked on a popular television series. Unfortunately, the word has become overused, over diagnosed, and even used as an excuse for one’s wrong behavior. Needless to say, addiction is, and†¦show more content†¦The article’s authors counter the â€Å"Choice Model,† explaining that a person cannot choose whether to be addicted or not. They outline the path leading to addiction by emphasizing the cause as a physical malfunction in the reward circuitry of the brain. They claim that an addict’s abnormalities in his or her reward system causes the addict to achieve the state of euphoria or â€Å"high† by ingesting substances or addictive behaviors. In addition, one’s compulsive behaviors and substance abuse can hurt the reward system and result in â€Å"impaired impulse control and addiction† (Matesa and Bickman), so it is a deleterious cycle. Lastly, the article espouses that the â€Å"Choice Model† is in some way blaming the individual and is a â€Å"setup for relapse† (Matesa and Bickman). Viewing addiction as a disease, the ASAM says, will make it easier for addicts to receive help and conquer addiction. Proponents of the â€Å"Choice Model† disagree, explaining that viewing addiction as a disease is more of a self-fulfilling prophecy than a way to draw help. Alternatively, the â€Å"Choice Model† counters the belief that addiction is a disease, but rather believes it is all a choice when using substances or taking part in compulsive behaviors. Educator, ex-addict, and researcher Steven Slate first compares the â€Å"Disease Theory† to real diseases in his blog, â€Å"Addiction Is Not A Brain Disease, It Is A Choice.† Slate comments that: â€Å"In a true disease, some part of the body is