Theory of Addiction: The Disease Model

Theory of Addiction : The Disease Model

It is a common knowledge that addiction is characterized by compulsive and out of

control dependence on a substance , or a practice or habit with such an overwhelming

degree that cessation causes severe mental , emotional and physical imbalance . Normally

addiction is associated with prohibited drugs and stimulants in the likes of cocaine and

amphetamines , hallucinogens like lysergic acid dietylamide or LSD and commonly

associated with nicotine and alcohol . Countless studies are available related to the origin

and causes of addiction but

in the last decade , there were reliable studies pointing to the

fact that addiction is not only a dis but a disease of the brain In conjunction with this

it can be hypothesized that addiction is a mental disease in the sense that those afflicted

although they are not willing to sacrifice everything to achieve satisfaction cannot do

otherwise as their brain is already malfunctioning and can only be cured by combination of

therapeutic medicines , social and psychological interventions . This aims to document

the disease model of addiction theory and provide proven methods of intervention of cure

and therapy

The Disease Model of Addiction

Leshner (1977 ) associated with National Institute of Health of the United States

declared that scientific studies over the past 20 years has proven that drug addiction is a

chronic and relapsing disease brought about by repeated and prolonged effect of drugs to

the brain . The doctor further revealed that similar with other brain diseases , addiction was

observed to...