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Addiction is a Disease

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Introduction

It has been argued by many time and again that addiction is a disease. However, to the

normal observer, addiction looks like more of a choice, after all, one cannot become an addict if

they don’t indulge in alcohol and drugs. It is a necessary condition for an addict to have either

used drugs or alcohol before becoming an addict (Koob p.24). However, it is not a sufficient

condition. To understand this, one has to look at the topic from a different perspective. Addiction

is a condition that requires the right environmental conditions to take place, and when these

conditions are sufficient, then the condition becomes one that is hard to kick out. It is suggested

that the likeliness of one becoming an addict is influenced by some factors many of which are

genetic. Research has shown that people with a higher tolerance to drugs and alcohol are

significantly more likely to become drug addicts. This is contrary to many people’s perceptions

that such people have the least probability of indulging in abuse of drugs (Ausubel, p.78)

Many people are opposed to the idea that addiction is a disease. The opposers of this

notion have their reasons for their perspective, but their primary view is that addiction is self-
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inflicted and it is more of choice than a disease (West, p. 158). However, these people fail to

understand that there are some underlying factors in this situation that prove that addiction is not

a choice but indeed a disease. The following paper will support the argument that addiction is a

disease and justify its claim by giving relevant evidence and information on the topic.

It is no doubt that the state of addiction is the worst presentable state of any person. Many

people argue that if nobody forces anyone to use drugs, then how can it be a disease? (West,

p.24) People indulge in drugs for some reasons. Some may be due to depression, or maybe they

are trying to escape the painful truths that come with reality (West, p.11). It is however

imperative to recognize that the act of using drugs is different from a disease. It is important to

note that different people have varying rates of predisposition to drugs (Lushner, p. 1311). People

that have a genetic predisposition to drugs usually experience a chemical reaction in their brains

the first time they use drugs especially hard drugs like heroin and cocaine (Lushner, p.46). First-

time use of such drugs causes a chemical reaction that creates an irresistible bond and attachment

to the feeling that the drug induces. People that lack a genetic predisposition to the drug may

enjoy the feeling that comes with usage of the drug, but they may find it more difficult to become

hooked to the drug. Many newbies into drug abuse have the perception that they will only take

the drug once and that’s it (Goldstein, Rita, and Nora p. 1644). This ideology is impracticable.

The newcomers face challenges in quitting the drugs, and with time they become hooked up, a

situation which shows that to some extent addiction is indeed a disease.

It is possible for anybody to become dependent on a drug, it is important to be able to

distinguish between drug dependency and drug addiction since there are individuals who suggest

that they are akin (Goodman p.1405). People who are dependent on a drug usually experience

withdrawal symptoms in the case where they lack access to the drug. This is usually a physical
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factor that affects the dependent victim. Addiction, on the other hand, is cognitive and not

physical. People who are addicted to drugs become relatively dependent on the drug while

people who are dependent cannot be necessarily viewed as addicts (Koob, p.28). Addicts rarely

find themselves at the stage of withdrawal because the cognitive connection that they have with

the drug creates a fierce desire for usage that is so strong that the user has no option than to use it

(Halpern & John, 54). The perception that it is not a great deal to quit drugs is false (Goldstein,

Rita, and Nora 1648)

Another claim that supports why addiction is a disease is the fact that addiction changes

the brains neutral balance. Addiction normally interferes with a crucial cognitive function that is

called homeostasis (Witjas et al., 1053). Homeostasis is the bodies way of maintaining a natural

balance (Fishbain et al., p.82). When the brain experiences difficulty in maintaining a

homeostatic balance, then it adapts and makes changes by creating something known as a

balanced set point also known as allostasis. The fact that addiction affects the working of the

brain goes along to prove that it is indeed a disease. It is; therefore, wrong to assume that drug

addicts do all that they do with a full conscience (Fishbain et al., p.84).

Addiction also alters the brain’s communication capabilities. It becomes more difficult

for addicts to communicate and interact with their surroundings and anything that affects the

communication of the brain ultimately alters its functionality (Goodman, p.1450). Addiction

additionally affects the communication patterns of the brain. Addiction causes the brain to fail to

produce neurons and their pathways around areas of damage to the brain (Renthal & Eric, p.349).

Addiction has a large effect on the brain, and this goes to prove how much of a disease it is

(White, p.23).
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Not all people agree that addiction is a disease; some argue that because it is self-taught

and nobody is forced to use and indulge in drug-related activities, then it is a choice, not an

addiction (Ausbel 1958, p.30). Indeed, it a choice to use drugs, but as we have seen, these drugs

have different effects on different people, and it is these effects that come from continuous use

and dependence that cause addiction. Therefore, the claim that addiction is a choice should be

dismissed as there is a significant difference between using drugs and actual addiction (Ausubel,

p.342).

Remarkably, it is clear that addiction is a disease that affects people differently. Drug

dependency results from addiction, and it has been shown that addiction can have serious effects

on the body and especially on the cognitive functioning of the brain. Hence, it is important for

more understanding and light to be shed on the topic of addiction so that people can recognize

that it is a disease. By doing so, people will be better equipped to confront this menace to society.

Works Cited
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Ausubel, David P. "Drug addiction: Physiological, psychological, and sociological aspects."

(1958).

Fishbain, David A., Hubert L. Rosomoff, and Renee Steele Rosomoff. "Drug abuse, dependence,

and addiction in chronic pain patients." The Clinical journal of pain 8.2 (1992): 77-85.

Goldstein, Rita Z., and Nora D. Volkow. "Drug addiction and its underlying neurobiological

basis: neuroimaging evidence for the involvement of the frontal cortex." American

Journal of Psychiatry 159.10 (2002): 1642-1652.

Goodman, Aviel. "Addiction: definition and implications." Addiction 85.11 (1990): 1403-1408.

Halpern, John H. "Addiction is a disease." Psychiatric Times19.10 (2002): 54-55.

Koob, George F. "The neurobiology of addiction: a neuroadaptational view relevant for

diagnosis." Addiction 101.s1 (2006): 23-30.

Leshner, Alan I. "Addiction is a brain disease, and it matters." Science 278.5335 (1997): 45-47.

Leshner, Alan I. "Science-based views of drug addiction and its treatment." Jama 282.14 (1999):

1314-1316.

Renthal, William, and Eric J. Nestler. "Epigenetic mechanisms in drug addiction." Trends in

molecular medicine 14.8 (2008): 341-350.

West, Robert. "Theories of addiction." Addiction 96.1 (2001): 3-13.

White, William L. Slaying the dragon: The history of addiction treatment and recovery in

America. Bloomington, IL: Chestnut Health Systems/Lighthouse Institute, 1998.

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Witjas, Tatiana, et al. "Addiction in Parkinson's disease: impact of subthalamic nucleus deep

brain stimulation." Movement disorders 20.8 (2005): 1052-1055.