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Essay on genetics of addiction
Genetic and environmental contributions to addiction
Thesis statement for genetic predisposition to addiction
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#1 Models of Addiction Which model do you accept and would utilize? Explain the model and why you feel it is the most acceptable, i.e.: In practice I would utilize The Genetic Model. The Genetic Model is a model focuses on the inheritable aspects of addiction in the individual (McNeece & DiNitto, 2012). Genetics can affect an individual with disease such as cancer or drug addictions. Inheritable aspects that can affect the individual are genetic mutations and mirrors behaviors by the individual of their environment. The genetic model will also allow the social worker or councilor to look in to the history of the client in potentially establishing the addiction. Genetics has a great impact on the person one becomes starting with their early development. The Genetic Model will access the gene mutations that affect the individuals. Gene mutations such as, the altering of proteins which in return changes the functions of the brain (McNeece & DiNitto, 2012). Likewise, the individual may be more prone to develop a addiction due to this mutation. Also, genetics can affect the behaviors of an individual participating in the use of drugs. Once a parent participates in drugs and their desires it reflects onto the child’s behaviors and their desire with the use of drugs. These desires are stored in the limbic part of …show more content…
Within the assessment parts of the clients life that should be addressed are as followed: mental, physical, and emotional health of the client. Through asking a series of questions to the client the professional will access the background information of the client such as their history with suicide, employment, education, drinking or drug history, family history or the religion they practice (McNeece & DiNitto, 2012). Professionals use the CCA to establish and provide the needs of the
I have not worked with clients in a formal counseling setting. However, I know the importance of clients taking assessments to gain a better understanding. For example, if the client is having difficulty selecting a career, I would have the client take a career assessment to determine client strengths. Then, the client can use the evaluation to research jobs that would allow the client to use their strengths.
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
Assessment is about collecting information on a person’s needs and circumstances, and making sense of that information in order to identify needs and decide on what support or treatment to offer (DOH, 2002). There are many tools for assessing mental health needs of patients with depression. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) (Beck et. al, 1961; 1988), Beck Anxiety Inventory (Beck et al, 1993) and Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (ZSDS)(1965) among others. These tools tell me how someone is feeling. This information is important for the CPA.
The model of addiction etiology that best describes why people get addicted and how best to help them is biopsychosocial model. The biopsychosocial model, first developed by cardiologist Dr. George Engel, is today widely accepted by the mental health professions. The biopsychosocial model describes addiction as a brain illness that causes personality and social problems. The biopsychosocial model lets us to make solid and accurate differences between substance use, abuse, and dependence. It also allows the signs of addiction to be recognized and structured into progressive stages.
There are many theories of alcoholism, and some approaches explain and treat certain alcoholics better than others. One of the common themes throughout the readings is that addicts display a range of personal and situational problems. There is no "typical" addicted personality or emotional problem (Allen, 1996). Because of these facts, it comes as no surprise that there are also no typical assessment or treatment for these individuals. For instance, a medical/disease model of alcoholism may be more useful to some alcoholics than others. The point is that instead of rigidly applying one model, a counselor's goal is to use the models that are most effective to the particular alcoholic in question.
People argue whether drug addiction is a disease or a choice. Today, I will be discussing this argument in hopes to have a better understanding as to why this topic is so controversial. Throughout my research, I easily found information on this topic and I am still not sure I have found any answers.
George F. Koob defines addiction as a compulsion to take a drug without control over the intake and a chronic relapse disorder (1). The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders of the American Psychiatric Association defined "substance dependence" as a syndrome basically equivalent to addiction, and the diagnostic criteria used to describe the symptoms of substance dependence to a large extent define compulsion and loss of control of drug intake (1). Considering drug addiction as a disorder implies that there are some biological factors as well as social factors.
A big challenge that I will face is deciding which side I will take on a big debate in substance abuse counseling. Some people say that addiction is purely physical, while others disagree and believe that addiction is mostly psychological. Those who believe that it is psychological believe that it usually stems from abuse or as Jane Adams (2003) thinks an over dependence on parents. This side also says that addiction is operant conditioning and that cycle has to be broken (Silverman, Roll, & Higgins, 2008, p. 472). The other physical side of addi...
“Addiction is a brain disease expressed in the form of compulsive behavior,” says by Alan Leshner in his article, “Addiction Is a Brain Disease” featured in the book Drug Abuse: Opposing Viewpoints. Addiction has a variety of meanings depending on what your viewpoint of addiction. According to dictionary.com, the concrete definition of the word addiction is, “the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.” Basically various doctors and therapist consider addiction to be a genetic disorder. “Provocative, controversial, unquestionably incomplete, the dopamine hypothesis provides a basic framework for understanding how a genetically encoded trait — such as a tendency to produce too little dopamine — might intersect with environmental influences to create a serious behavioral disorder. Therapists have long known of patients who, in addition to having psychological problems, abuse drugs as well. Could their drug problems be linked to some inborn quirk?” (Nash, and Parker, pg 2 of 8). Along with addiction being possibly a genetic disorder, a minority of scientist believe that the word ‘addiction’ is too broad in its denotation. “If addiction means ‘compulsive, out of control use of a dangerous drug’ is this the same as a person’s being ‘addicted’ to a cell phone? Scientist cannot work or live with this imprecision.” (Erickson, 2 of 253). They believe that the word is misunderstood in denotation. “It is important to correct the common misimpression that drug use, abuse and addiction are points on a single continuum along which one slides back and forth over time, moving from user to addict, th...
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
In practice, there are other assessment tools such as….which I could have used but the CPA is a recommended National Standard Framework for Mental Health, introduced in 1991, to supply a framework for effective mental health care (DOH 1999; DOH 2008) and to safeguard all service users (SU) by appropriate assessment and review (Gamble, 2005). But it is time consuming, in practice and paperwork. Service users’ participation has been repeatedly disappointing; studies constantly report little awareness of the CPA policy (CPAA, 2006; McDermott, 1998).
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
There are many assumptions of why an individual may use different substances and perhaps go from a “social” user to becoming addicted. Understanding the different theories models of addiction many help in the process of treatment for the addict. Although people in general vary in their own ideologies of addiction when working as a clinician one must set aside their own person beliefs. Typically as a clinician it is best for the client to define how they view their addiction and their view may encompass more than one of the five theories. Some theories suggest genetic and other biological factors whiles others emphasize personality or social factors. In this study three theories are defined and given to three different people with different cultural backgrounds, different ideologies, different experiences, and most importantly different reference point of addiction.
It is important to consider how addiction to drugs begins. “Genetics accounts for approximately half of an individual’s vulnerability to addiction, including effects of the environment on gene function and expression” (Volkow). This basically means that once a person is exposed to drugs, they are more likely to become addicted to drugs after that exposure if their genes make them more vulnerable to addiction. Consequently, not every person who is exposed to drugs will develop an addiction because they do not have the genetic make-up that makes them an addictive person, meaning that: “…predisposing genes interact with [exposure to drugs] and other environmental factors to create vulnerability” (Volkow). People cannot change their genetic make-up to prevent themselves from becoming addicted to drugs. They can only limit their exposure to a drug filled...
Height, hair color, eye color and sex are just a few examples of ways our DNA has shaped us. But could it be possible that our DNA also effects the way we behave in society. It is possible that genetics effect us is more ways that we may have imagined. Dr. Peter B. Neubaur believes that shyness, eating disorders, obsessive behavior and psychological illness can all be traced back to our genetics. Sexual orientation is also believed to be derived from genes in our body which determine what sexual preference we prefer. Violence and other types of crimes can be linked back throughout a person’s lineage to witness that other family members have been committed similar crimes without ever meeting one and other.