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Essay on Psychological Causes Of Addiction
Essay on Psychological Causes Of Addiction
Drug abuse and its effect
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Andrea Studebaker ENG 1113 CRN 12896 November 2, 2015 Essay #3 Final Draft The Con-Artist Named Addiction Sally Satel, author of “Addiction Doesn’t Discriminate? Wrong,” leads us down a harrowing path of the causes and effects that lead people to addiction. It can be a choice, possibly subconscious, or a condition that leads a person left fighting a lifelong battle they did not intend to sign up for. Mental and emotional health/conditions, personality traits, attitudes, values, behaviors, choices, and perceived rewards are just a few of the supposed causes of becoming an addict. Satel tells us, “While theoretically anyone can become an addict, it is more likely the fate of some” (1). Amongst those in that category are women who were …show more content…
The most common contributors are bipolar disease and depression. They alter the way beings think and lower inhibitions. Drugs may even help them cope with their inability to change the way they were born. While Satel tells us that these conditions heighten the probability of usage, her statement seems to be somewhat of a base-rate fallacy. The prior probability does not appear to be taken into account. It is very possible that those meeting these standards may have had many other traits in play that could have contributed to their risk of …show more content…
Satel says, “Addiction does indeed discriminate, it chooses those who are bad at delaying gratification” (2). Those who simply cannot resist the instant relief or euphoria are more likely to become addicts. Addiction also preys on those who do not possess the proper skills for gauging consequences. Those suffering from this trait are unable to look ahead at the true horror that awaits them at the end of the long dark tunnel. Another trait that increases the risk of addiction is impulsivity. Impulsive people have issues controlling themselves, and they often make quick decisions that were not through. Impulsivity characteristics often go hand in hand with the previously stated traits, making it one of the hardest to overcome. While personality traits may be genetic or just how we are predisposed, drug use often alters ones entire being, including these traits. So, who is to say if the traits listed above were not birthed from the very womb of drug use itself. Satel also says,“attitudes, values and behaviors play a potent role as well” (1), then proceeds to tell us a story about two very similar men. They both try cocaine for the first time, one asks for more, while the other walks away never touching it again. Here she implies that the one who asked for more is at risk for a problem, based solely on that fact. This is yet another base-rate fallacy. She neglects to pay attention to the prior probability
Sally Satel, the author of “Addiction Doesn 't Discriminate”, uses many examples of logistic “cause and effect” statements to further explain her hypothesis on addiction. Her essay reveals some truths, which people have chosen to ignore. Today, in such an advanced society compared to past generations, discrimination has become negative and cruel. Thus people have speeches, which preach, “Everyone is equal”. Satel’s essay and many others have come to show that we must acknowledge specific differences in people to help them. Satel wrote with three different fallacies; addiction offers rewards, addicts ignore exit signs, and addiction enjoys specific people.
Volkows, N. D., & Muenke, M. (2012). Human Genetics. The genetics of addiction, Vol 131(6), 773-777. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00439-012-1173-3
The term addiction can be interpreted in many ways, concering both illegal and legal substances. Not only can one become addicted to a substance, but also activities like gambling, shoplifting, and sex. Prior to considering addiction, one must first understand what constitutes a substance. Levinthal (2002) describes a drug as a chemical substance that changes the functioning of the body when ingested (4). Although illegal drugs may come to mind when hearing this definition, alcohol and tobacco fit under this criteria as well. For the purpose of this essay, controlled and regulated (licit/legal) substances will be focused upon. Alcohol is a regulated substance that can be thought of as a social drug (Levinthal, 2002, p.192) and arguably tobacco
Several studies have been done to try to determine what makes someone go from using a drug once experimentally to becoming a drug addict. One of the most popular theories was created by Inaba and Cohen that is called the Biopsychosocial Theory. This theory takes many different factors in hand to try to explain further how a drug addiction has been influenced using three different factors, heredity, environment, and the use of psychoactive drugs (Inaba and Cohen 75). It has been found that the “intial structure and chemistry of the nervous system” is passed down through many generations and that “behaviors seem to have an inheritable component (Inaba and Cohen 76). This shows that certain actions that are associated with drugs, gambeling, etc can be influenced by addictive behaviors that were prevalent generations ago. Environment plays a huge factor in determining how drug addiction will affect a person, family dynamics, age, race, peer pressure, and tragedy are reasons someone may feel compelled to use which could lead to later continual drug abuse. Lastly, the use of psychoactive drugs plays an essential part in turning an experimental phase into a full blown drug addiction.
Understanding addiction is a complicated subject that inspires controversy and debate. Not only do people want to understand addiction because of the curiosity to understand human beings and human nature, but there are factors that go into the defining of addiction such as public policy and health care coverage. There are two theories that are on the opposite spectrum when it comes to addiction which include the “disease concept” and the “choice theory”. One defines addiction as a disease, something that is out of one’s control, while the other thinks of it as a choice or a moral deficiency that resides in a person. The consequence of this gap is the delay in gaining control over drug abuse. While the people who support the choice theory see
Addiction is a disease that affects by ten percent of Americans but countless others, including family and friends, are devastated by it. Addiction is not a choice that a person can make; rather the disease takes away people’s ability to make conscious choice. Science has advanced to show exactly how drugs affect the brain chemically, proving that it is a disease and not a moral failing. Addiction is a disease and should be treated through rehabilitation and community based support groups such as Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), not imprisonment, and the state and federal governments should increase funding and programs for prevention and treatment.
For several decades the matter of addiction has been disputed, many believe it to be self-inflicted, while others believe it is genetically driven. Researchers are currently proving the former incorrect, as they are coming closer to pinpointing the gene that is associated with addiction, more specifically alcoholism. Children of alcoholics are more susceptible to become addicts because of their genetic makeup.
Addiction, like other diseases, has the tendency to be genetic. “Addictive drugs induce adaptive changes in gene expression in the brain’s reward regions” (Bevilacqua and Goldman 359–361). The disease is also influenced by environmental conditions and behavior. Addiction genes can be passed down through family members of many generations. If one has addiction in their genes tries a drug and someone who does not have addiction in their genes and tries the same drug, it is more likely that the person with the gene will become addicted over the one without. Environmental conditions can also be a factor because someone’s lifestyle could contribute to addiction. Factors such as stress and peer pressure can influence drug or alcohol abuse. Behavior can also contribute to addiction because if a person’s attitude is obsessive and they have an addictive personality, they could become addicted to a substance. In “Addiction is Not a Disease” Daniel Akst explains actual diseases are Alzheimer’s and Schizophrenia, not addiction. For example, Akst mentions that “addicts tend to quit when the going gets hard” (Akst.) He also clarifies that addicts have the choice to have that extra drink or those extra pills every
Researchers have placed more emphasis on nature because of addictions (Agin).. For this reason, there is the same amount of chances to be an alcoholic as there is to have a mental disorder if someone in the family has had or was either because of genes. Newspaper reports, “scientists are on the verge of discovering the gene for alcoholism.” (McLeod). Gaten himself in 1883 suggested that human society could be improved by “better breeding” (McLeod). What Gaten is trying to say is that the children of two adults would not have any mental disorders or be an alcoholic if there was better breeding. The behavioral genes are the genes that gives inheritance of alcoholism, or addiction. So, behavioral genes can give inheritance of alcoholism or other addictions by the wrong breeding. In summation, if one's grandparent or even an ancestor has an addiction, there will be a good chance that the breeds will have the same type of
Main Point: What defines an addiction? According to Psychology Today, “Addiction is a condition that results when a person ingests a substance…. or engages in an activity….that can be pleasurable but the continued use/act of which becomes compulsive and interferes with ordinary life responsibilities, such as work, relationships, or health.” This can range anywhere from drug use to eating disorders, to gambling, to even texting in today’s generation. Shocking to say the least, especially when most people do not even know they are addicted or are an addict until they realize this definition.
The leading cause of addictions is still just a theory. Many people have different opinions on the cause of addictions. The lack of endorphin-enhancing experiences is the main reason that Gabor Mate believes is the leading cause of addictions. Mate is a counsellor who has lots of experience with people who have addictions. Mate includes multiple short paragraphs about his patients and their addictions. One that really stood out was a former sex-worker who explains her first shot of heroin “Felt like a warm, soft hug.” (288), this suggests that she was lacking comfort and emotional support but found it in drugs rather than in a person. Many addicts are looking for something to provide them with the comfort and safety
There has been many theories and reasons as to why someone becomes addicted to drugs and alcohol. It can be argued that people become addicted to drugs because they have a mental disorder, are weak minded, it’s genetic, or peer pressure. Either way, all maybe true, depending on the person. Although there are many theories of how addiction began, a “person who becomes addicted to a substance is still often regarded as the sole culprit and consequently treated as a criminal in modern society” (Thombs & Osborn 2013 pg. 18).
When people hear the word addiction, most people picture an alcoholic that spends hours a night at the bar, or meth addict that sleeps in the streets and prostitutes herself out to obtain money for another hit, but what various people refuse to realize is that addiction has become an epidemic in the United States. Addiction is everywhere from the UPS man that takes smoke breaks every few delivery’s, to your best friend 's dad whose appears to have everything put together but spends his evenings at the casino. In my opinion, it 's essential to share your story, I’m restless to tell you experience with addiction.
Humans are environmentally and genetically predisposed to developing motivated addictive behavior. Addiction is a brain disease and a behavior disorder. All behaviors are choices. Choices that adolescences make at a young age directly affect the outcomes of their futures. Many factors contribute to an adolescence, becoming an addict or exhibiting drug seeking behavior.
For example we know that continuous abuse of acohol can cause hepatitis, but some still drink. Another example is the use of cirggirates, it’s even written on the cigarrate pack that it causes cancer but some people don’t just seem to care. I have seen healthcare professionals involved in these unhealthy habits. These are some of the reasons why people tend to abuse drugs, one it could be that they were predispose to them in the worm and now they are susceptible to there use. Second, peer pressure of wanting to fit in so bad that we as human are willing to destroy ourselves. Third, using them to hide from problems and painful memories or sometimes people are just bore and they look take on new habits. The environment can also play a great roll in substance abuse, if a child grown up seeing ttheir parents abuse drugs they are more likely to enage in similar behavior. I belive there are many others reasons, but these are the few I could think