Is Addiction a Disease or a Choice?

Addiction is sometimes misinterpreted. The first perspective has been the most widespread interpretation of addiction throughout history. Some claim that addiction is a conscious choice and that everyone hooked on a substance did so due to a lack of self-discipline or morals. Meanwhile, some contend that addiction is an illness that cannot be treated entirely or even resisted via discipline alone. As a result, a stigma around people battling substance abuse frequently inhibits them from readily getting assistance.

Recent research over the last few decades has provided data to call that concept into question, and the nature of addiction is now a widespread issue of controversy among professionals and the general public. Is it a decision that a person makes and continues to make that locks them into addiction, or is it a sickness that warps their brain and removes choice from the equation? These are the two sides of the addiction debate, and the outcome determines how medical practitioners should approach addiction therapy.

What Is Addiction?

Addiction does not simply relate to reliance on drugs like heroin or cocaine. Some addictions are also characterized by an inability to refrain from engaging in activities such as gambling and eating.

Addiction is a chronic disorder that can develop due to pharmaceutical use. In reality, the overuse of opioids, notably illicitly manufactured fentanyl, resulted in approximately 50,000 fatalities in the United States alone in 2019.

The American Society of Addiction Medicine defines addiction as “a curable, chronic medical disorder involving intricate connections between brain circuits, heredity, the environment, and an individual’s life experiences.” Addicts utilize drugs or participate in obsessive actions that often continue despite adverse consequences.”

Misconceptions of Addiction

Much debate over whether addiction is a choice is based on assumptions about the sorts of people who suffer from addiction. This is related to the stigma of addiction, which arose due to the people impacted by addiction, such as those from certain socioeconomic classes or nationalities.

Substance misuse has historically been more prevalent among the lower classes and those with lower levels of education. Given that the scientists and researchers of the period were from a more affluent socioeconomic class where addiction was less widespread, they concluded that poverty and a lack of education were the causes of these people’s addictions.

While this stigma persists, contemporary addiction may impact anybody, regardless of socioeconomic level, race, or origin. Some drugs have only one use to send a person on the wrong path, and even legal medicines, such as prescription opioids, may rapidly lead to addiction if abused.

This means that everybody with access to medical treatment is potentially at risk, and they are in more danger than they would otherwise be as long as old misconceptions persist.

Addiction as a Choice

Aside from the stigma, a group of current academics believe in addiction as a choice and utilize facts to back up their claim. The main characters on this site are behavioral scientists. Their opinion is founded on the premise that any activity capable of stimulating a person for pleasure or stress relief has the danger of addiction. This implies that nearly everything, whether it’s drugs, food, or just spending time on the internet, has the potential to develop into addiction.

One of their most popular arguments focuses on social media addiction. Many individuals have been addicted to social media since it became a modern culture’s mainstay.

According to neurologist Dr. Marc Lewis, this theory is primarily founded on the premise that when a person engages in an activity that they like, it activates pleasure in the brain and eventually becomes regular conduct. These activities, such as waking up at the same time every day for work, can quickly become habitual over time.

The primary distinction is that since it is linked to pleasure, the brain’s natural agent for telling the body what is good or bad for survival on a fundamental level, these habits grow faster and become stronger than they would otherwise. A critical element to remember is that pleasure in this context does not have to be pleasure in the classic sense but a rather pleasant stimulus. This indicates that activities that do not bring pleasure but provide respite from bad sensations are likewise habit-forming.

Addiction as a Disease

Researchers have recently begun to classify addiction as a disease rather than a behavioral decision. This decision is based chiefly on how addiction alters the brain, gradually causing an individual to want the drug until usage becomes an unconscious behavior rather than a conscious choice.

When a person abuses a substance or uses prescription pharmaceuticals regularly for an extended period, their body tends to adjust to account for its existence to maintain homeostasis or balance. This motivates them to continue abusing the substance, and when this occurs, the individual’s brain rewires itself to crave more. Over time, this leads to tolerance, when the body has adjusted to the point that the user has to take more of their preferred medication to get the same effects.

They will feel withdrawal symptoms if they stop using the drug. The symptoms will continue until their body can function normally without the drug or when they try again. This eventually leads to dependence or the loss of the ability to function without the drug. While the first can take several days or even weeks to complete, many choose the second option because it is easier and less painful. This option locks the user in a vicious cycle of addiction.

During this moment, the portion of the brain responsible for selecting whether to take the medication changes from the front to the back, which is in charge of controlling unconscious activities such as breathing and blinking. As a result, substance usage becomes inextricably tied to their brain and no longer represents a free decision.

To make matters even more complicated, some people are more prone to addiction than others. One of the most prevalent indicators of whether someone is at risk for addiction is the presence of a family history of addiction. This lends credence to the notion that addiction is a disease because if choice were the primary element in addiction, a person’s family history would have minimal influence on their chances of being hooked.

Is Addiction a Disease or a Choice: Does It Really Matter

If you’ve ever thought about the question, “Is addiction a disease or a choice?” and wondered if it matters—it does. It can make a significant difference. What do you think can impact how you see yourself and your recovery? For example, believing that substance misuse is an illness may diminish your sense of guilt, while believing it is a choice may increase your guilt.

On a broader scale, it has the potential to influence and affect interventions as well as drug policy. It may foster helplessness and a sense of obligation in some people. Some people feel that addicts who have acknowledged it as an illness are using it as an excuse. Whether the addict believes it is a brain disorder or a decision, they must seek addiction treatment.

Addiction Is Deadly; Get Help Right Away

Whether or not you believe that addiction’s a disease or a choice is ultimately up to you, but the reality is that it’s one of the most dangerous conditions for an individual. Fortunately, recovery is possible. However, recovering from addiction is a complicated and challenging process that many individuals require professional assistance with.

Luckily, Haven House Recovery is with you in every step towards your path to recovery. Whether it is a choice or a disease, we understand that people suffering from addiction should be supported and handled with compassion. While addiction is a complex condition, it is a surmountable obstacle.

If you’re looking for a drug rehab in Nashville, check us out! Our facility in Santa Rosa Beach, FL, will give assistance and therapy to assist you and your loved one in taking steps toward reaching a healthy and addiction-free life. Contact us right away!