Is Addiction A Choice Or A Disease Essay

Addiction/alcoholism has always been a debate whether it is a choice or a disease. The combination of both are such a widespread topic throughout the world. Almost 80 percent of individuals suffering from a substance disorder also struggle with an alcohol disorder too. It is so widespread, you can walk up to a crowd of people and ask if they know someone who has an addiction, they will say yes. Addiction/alcoholism is a choice not a disease people choose not to get treatment because it is so widespread, they believe it is not acceptable to get treatment.

Addiction is the fact or condition of being addicted to a particular substance, thing, or activity. Alcoholism is the continued excessive or compulsive use of alcoholic drinks. Being addicted to either drugs or alcohol, it is still a choice. They are not diseases. People choose what they put in their body and how they control those substances. “...addiction is a habit that grows and perpetuates itself relatively quickly when we repeatedly pursue the same highly attractive goal.”(Lewis)

People use substances, such as drugs, for a variety of reasons. It becomes drug abuse when they use illegal drugs or use legal drugs inappropriately. This means if someone repeats the use of drugs to produce pleasure, reduce stress, or avoid reality. Also, it includes using prescription drugs

in ways other than prescribed or using someone else’s prescription. Addiction happens when a person cannot control the urge to use drugs. As the National Institute on Drug Abuse says, “these behavioral changes are also accompanied by changes in brain functioning, especially in the brain’s natural inhibition and reward centers.” (NIDA)
Alcoholism is common, but often misunderstood. Alcoholism is a reality for millions of Americans around the country, either because they are struggling with alcohol issues themselves or have family/friends who abuses alcohol. It is just as dangerous as any other form of addiction. Some symptoms of alcoholism, alcohol use disrupting your personal and professional life, feelings of guilt about your drinking habits, and consistently drinking more alcohol than you intend to. As said on a recovery website, “Recognizing the issues associated with continued alcohol abuse is perhaps the most important things to know about alcoholism...” (Northpoint Recovery) This means you need to know the importance of what alcoholism is.
The reasons for addiction, whether it is to legal or illegal drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine, lie in the brain. There are a group of chemicals in the brain that carry the signals between neurons in the brain called neurotransmitters. One of them is called dopamine, it plays a role in transmitting feelings of satisfaction, arousal, and reward, so that every time we have theses feelings, we want to replicate them by doing whatever it was that caused them before. This may account for the repetition inherent in addictive behavior. According to Prescription for Nutritional Healing, “Alcohol, nicotine, marijuana, cocaine, and amphetamines are a few of the substances that increase dopamine levels in the brain, and the more they are used, the more deeply these substances are associated with pleasure and reward and the more profound the dependency.” (Balch) There are multiple substances that could increase the dopamine in your brain.
With an estimated 75 percent of the American population consuming alcohol, it is hardly a surprise that one out of ten people suffers adverse consequences of alcohol consumption. Alcoholism is a chronic condition marked by a dependence on ethanol. This dependence can be physiological, psychological, or a combination of both. Alcoholism affects approximately four times as many men as women, but the incidence of alcoholism among women will rise, as in the use of alcohol by children, adolescents, and college students. Women are physiologically not sensitive to alcohol than men are.
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), approximately 27 million Americans, or 10.2 percent of the American population over the age of 12 reported using illicit drugs in 2014. The NSDUH also estimated that about 28.7 million people or 10.9 percent of the population over 12 drove while intoxicated at least once in 2013. An estimated 6.5 million Americans over the age of 12 reported current, non-medical use of prescription drugs, such as painkillers, tranquilizers, stimulants, and sedatives. Estimates showed that in 2014, nearly 140 million Americans over the age of 12 were, at the time, currently using alcohol, with 16.3 million having reported heavy alcohol use in the prior month, and 60.9 million having reported binge drinking in the prior month, reflecting an increase from previous years.
Alcoholism is one of the most common addictions affecting Americans. It’s also an addiction that goes untreated in many cases because of the legality of the substance. However, the recorded rates of alcoholism are decreasing, but the addiction is still a cause for concern. Binge drinking is more common in men. Out of 16.6 million people with alcoholism, 2.6 million were also dependent on an illicit substance. It is estimated that over 95 percent of those who need treatment for alcoholism do not feel they need treatment. More people receive treatment for alcohol than any other substance.
“Regions of the brain are disrupted by drug abuse... the brain stem, limbic system, and cerebral cortex are all affected.” (NIDA) The brain stem controls all functions of the brain, including sleeping, breathing, and health rate, while the limbic system helps to control emotions and the ability to feel happiness. However, the cerebral cortex helps man age problem-solving, planning, and decision making abilities as well as helping people to process information provided by their senses. The more often drugs are used, the more they will impact brain chemicals and circuitry. Drug cravings, dependence, and withdrawal symptoms, and loss over control, are signs of addiction.
“Mental illness is common amongst a population suffering from substance abuse and addiction.” (Patterson) The relationship between the both is so strong that many believe the drugs play a innovative role in the development of the mental illness.

People who are mentally ill are more likely to abuse drugs drugs or alcohol. In the United States, almost 8.9 million people have a mental health and a substance abuse issue. The SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration) says that, of these people struggling with double disorders, 55.8 percent don’t receive any treatment for either disorder. 7.4 percent get treatment for both

issues.
Many individuals who develop substance use disorders are also diagnosed with mental disorders. There are fewer studies on comorbidity among youth, research says that adolescents with substance abuse disorders also have high rates of co-occurring mental illness. Early drug use is a strong risk factor for a later accurence of other mental illnesses. Data also shows high rates of comorbid substance use disorders and anxiety disorders that include, anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and PTSD. “Over 60 percent of adolescents in community-based substance use disorder treatment programs also meet diagnostic criteria for another mental illness.” (NIDA)
Addiction is a complex but treatable disorder that affects brain function and behavior. Treatment for addiction should help the person: stop using drugs, stay drug free, and be productive in the family, at work, and in society. Treatment should also address other possible mental disorders. Treatment should include both medical and mental services as needed. Treatment doesn’t need to be voluntary to be effective.
Drug relapse statistics prove that more than 85 percent of individuals relapse. They often return to drug use within the year after their treatment. Some research estimates that more than 2/3 people in recovery, relapse within weeks to months of beginning addiction treatment. “Without a long-term drug relapse prevention plan, most people will be unsuccessful in their attempts to remain sober, so having a solid plan in place is essential.” (Osborn) , says a website. Addiction relapse prevention models are based on the idea that high risk situations make a person more weak to relapse. A high risk condition can include people, places, or feelings that lead to drug-seeking behavior.
More than 7 percent of Americans have an alcohol use disorder. Most of the Americans are adults that drink too much, too often, and in ways that harm their health, happiness, and relationships. To push these people to enter treatment programs, there should be an intervention in which the family outlines alcohols consequences. At the intervention, counseling sessions, relapse coaching, and support group work can help support recovery. “Relapse rates for alcohol fall with the 40-60 percent range, so people often need to stick with aftercare for the rest of their life.” (American Addiction Center)