It is observed that individuals with chronic diseases and high levels of faith have high levels of medication adherence. A study conducted on individuals with hypertension concluded that medication adherence increased as the level of spiritual well-being increased (Aşiret & Okatan, 2019). A study on patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) concluded that individuals with higher spiritual well-being had higher medication adherence (Elhag et al., https://www.23ch.info/what-no-one-knows-about-5 2022; Helvaci et al., 2020). Spiritual well-being can affect individuals’ thoughts about their illness, the way they manage the illness, and their medication adherence.
Negotiating the Relationship Between Addiction, Ethics, and Brain Science
Generally speaking, as the addiction progresses, the addicted individual will decreasingly interact with individuals who do not use substances, and increasingly interact with those who do. Programs that do not have a plan for creating a culture of recovery among clients risk their clients returning to the drug culture or holding on to elements of that culture because it meets their basic and social needs. In the worst-case scenario, clients will recreate a drug culture among themselves within the program. In the best case, staff members will have a plan for creating a culture of recovery within their treatment population. But when you’re becoming addicted to a substance, that normal hardwiring of helpful brain processes can begin to work against you.
The Moral Model emphasizes the role of free will and personal agency in the development and maintenance of addiction. The biopsychosocial model emphasizes the interaction of biological, psychological, and social factors. Biology includes genetics and brain chemistry, while psychology examines an individual’s thoughts, emotions, and coping mechanisms. It encompasses personality traits (impulsivity and sensation-seeking), psychological constructs (self-worth and self-esteem), mental health concerns (depression and anxiety), and the psychological impact of individual life experiences (sexual abuse and/or trauma).
Drug Abuse vs Addiction: Understanding the Key Differences and Similarities
Personality theories suggest certain personality traits, like impulsivity or risk-taking, can make someone more prone to addiction. These traits might lead them to experiment with addictive substances or behaviors more readily. Understanding how biological, psychological, and social factors influence addiction treatment today.
Social / Environmental Causes of Addiction
By drawing out these similarities, medical and psychiatric scholars can revitalize the biopsychosocial model, and they can open medicine and psychiatry to a rich philosophic heritage and a flourishing interdisciplinary tradition. Dysfunctional family environments characterized by conflict, neglect, or abuse can increase the risk of addiction (Onyenwe & Odilbe, 2024). On the other hand, supportive relationships and strong social networks can act as protective factors. Furthermore, some communities are targeted more heavily with alcohol and tobacco advertisements and have more availability of drugs of abuse than others, particularly impoverished communities (Primack et al., 2007; Rose et al., 2019). Therefore, the social environment in which one exists contributes to their risk of addiction.
What are the Models of Addiction?
People attach importance to religious values at every stage of their lives and shape their lives according to their religious values. However, this may be due to individuals experiencing functional losses that restrict their religious activities due to advanced age and multiple chronic diseases. Spiritual well-being can vary depending on many factors such as general health status, cultural characteristics, living conditions, personal characteristics, socioeconomic factors, and religious beliefs. The findings of this study showed that the level of spiritual well-being decreases as the number of chronic diseases increases. A study conducted on individuals with hypertension concluded that the spiritual well-being level of individuals with additional chronic diseases decreased (Aşiret & Okatan, 2019).
Community and Socioeconomic Factors
The cognitive-behavioral theory of addiction is like a detective story where the culprit is our own thoughts and behaviors. It suggests that addiction is a learned behavior, reinforced by positive experiences (like feeling high) and negative ones (like avoiding withdrawal). It’s as if our brains are constantly playing a game of “Would You Rather,” but with increasingly high stakes. Dopamine, the rock star of neurotransmitters, takes center stage in addiction’s neurobiological concert. ” When we engage in pleasurable activities – eating chocolate, falling in love, or unfortunately, using addictive substances – dopamine levels surge.
They propose that certain personality traits might predispose individuals to addiction. It’s not that having a particular personality guarantees addiction, but rather that some traits might make the siren song of substances or behaviors harder to resist. The Psychodynamic Model of Addiction reminds us of the importance of early life experiences and unconscious processes in addiction. Integrating these insights with the biopsychosocial model can lead to even more nuanced and effective treatments. Advances in neuroscience are shedding new light on the biological aspects of addiction. And social scientists are exploring innovative ways to leverage social support and address societal factors contributing to addiction.
In the past, the Moral Model was widely accepted and shaped societal attitudes and responses to addiction. People with addiction were often stigmatized and judged as being morally deficient, leading to punitive measures and marginalization. This model has been influential in shaping the “war on drugs” policies and the criminalization of substance use, which prioritize punishment over treatment and support for individuals with addiction. Neuropsychology helps us understand how addictive substances alter brain circuits, particularly the reward system and prefrontal cortex. The reward system is responsible for feelings of pleasure and motivation, while the prefrontal cortex is involved in decision-making and impulse control. Chronic drug use can disrupt these systems, leading to intense cravings and difficulty resisting them.
- Examples of acultural addicts include the medical professional who does not have to use illegal drug networks to abuse prescription medication, or the older, middle-class individual who “pill shops” from multiple doctors and procures drugs for misuse from pharmacies.
- When people who abuse substances are marginalized, they tend not to seek access to mainstream institutions that typically provide sociocultural support (Myers et al. 2009).
- Every learned action, whether pro-social or anti-social, may be prompted by social conditions such as a lack of resources, conflict, social norms, peer pressure, an underlying drive (e.g., hunger, sex, craving), or a combination of these factors (Bunge 1997).
- The Behavioral Model of Addiction and the Social Model of Addiction both offer valuable insights that complement the biopsychosocial approach.
- Stephens (1991) uses examples from a number of ethnographic studies to show how people can be as taken by the excitement of the drug culture as they are by the drug itself.
When people who abuse substances are marginalized, they tend not to seek access to mainstream institutions that typically provide sociocultural support (Myers et al. 2009). A marginalized person’s behavior is seen as abnormal even if he or she attempts to act differently, thus further reducing the chances of any attempt to change behavior (Cohen 1992). The drug culture enables its members to view substance use disorders as normal or even as status symbols.
Cultural and environmental influences on addiction are like the air we breathe – often invisible, but profoundly impactful. From societal attitudes towards substance use to the availability of drugs in a community, these factors can shape an individual’s path towards or away from addiction. As we continue to explore and refine our understanding of addiction through various Theories of Addiction, the biopsychosocial https://www.lite-editions.com/practical-and-helpful-tips-3/ model stands as a testament to the power of integrative, holistic thinking. It challenges us to look beyond simple explanations and quick fixes, encouraging a more nuanced, comprehensive approach to one of the most pressing health issues of our time. The social burden of illicit drug addiction is estimated at billions of dollars per year (Fisher, Oviedo-Joekes, Blanken, et al. 2007).
