Drug addiction: causes, effects, and treatment approaches

Addiction -- Why?

Addiction can be categorized in three ways as follows: social addiction, physical (physiological) addiction, or psychological (chemical) addiction (Knapp, 1996). Addiction to a substance typically stems from abuse of that substance and substance abuse is occurring in the midst of addiction; though, (short-or-long-term) substance abuse does not necessarily have to occur before the criteria for addiction is met (Stiles, 2011). All addicts are substance abusers but not all abusers are addicts. It is important to make the distinction between the two even though abuse of a substance is happening in the midst of addiction, other predispositions contribute towards addiction and in many cases an addict is predisposed towards addiction long before his/her first use or becomes an addict not from abusing a substance but simply from using one that may not be illegal (alcohol, cigarettes, legally prescribed medications).

Further, it is also important to make a distinction between addiction to substances with addiction towards feelings or activities. The majority of discourse about addiction revolves around substances, particularly illegal drugs, illegally obtained prescription drugs, or alcohol. However, many psychologists and medical professionals, particularly those who specialize in addiction, continually emphasize the power of addiction in all its forms (social, physical, and psychological) on such feelings and activities as gambling, eating (food), sex, spirituality, self-harm tactics, power, money, shopping, pornography, politics, violence, fear, theft, and any other obsession/compulsion that becomes an integral part of one's life in which the trigger is required to "feel" normal and involves some degree of negative consequences (Stiles, 2011).

The "why" of addiction is somewhat controversial and varies among stories. It is clearly a mixture of socio-cultural factors with certain biological factors and life experiences. The only commonalities of addiction are as follows: everyone is (1) first a "user;" (2) coping/compensating with/for something; (3) affected by addiction in all aspects of life (eventually).

Bio-psycho-socio-cultural factors

As previously stated, the cause of addiction seems most accurately described as a mixture of socio-cultural factors with certain biological factors and life experience factors. Some experts argue that people are born addicts while others argue that people become addicts. Some addicts are high functioning and can remain so for a long time, but without intervention and recovery, the ways in which addiction is tied to all biological, psychological, social, and cultural aspects of one's life, means that without intervention and efforts towards recovery, negative consequences are inevitable and will grow increasingly worse. For low-functioning addicts, the negative consequences are all over the place and clear to anyone with which the addict has a relationship. Every decision, endeavor, or feeling revolves around and is controlled by the addiction, which creates all sorts of dysfunction across all of life.

Disease or personal moral failure?

According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, addiction is defined as "a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory, and related circuitry; Dysfunction in these circuits leads to characteristic biological, psychological, social, and spiritual manifestations; This is reflected in the individual pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use and other compulsive behaviors. The addiction is characterized by impairment in behavioral control, craving, inability to consistently abstain, and diminished recognition of significant problems with one's behaviors and interpersonal relationships. Like other chronic diseases, addiction can involve cycles of relapse and remission; Without treatment or engagement in recovery activities, addiction is progressive and can result in disability or premature death" (ASAM, 2011).