Surname 1

Student’s Name

Tutor’s Name

Institution

Course

Date of Submission

Addiction is a Disease

Introduction

It has been argued by many time and again that addiction is a disease. However, to the

normal observer, addiction looks like more of a choice, after all one cannot become an addict if

they don’t indulge in alcohol and drugs. It is a necessary condition for an addict to have either

used drugs or alcohol before becoming an addict. However, it is not a sufficient condition. In

order to understand this, one has to look at the topic from a different perspective. Addiction is a

condition that requires the right environmental conditions in order to take place and when these

conditions are sufficient, then the condition becomes one that is hard to kick out. It is suggested

that the likeliness of one becoming an addict is actually influenced by a number of factors many

of which are genetic. Research has shown that people with a higher tolerance to drugs and

alcohol are significantly more likely to become drug addicts.

Many people are opposed to the idea that addiction is a disease. The opposers of this

notion have their reasons for their perspective but their primary view is that addiction is self-

inflicted and it is more of a choice than a disease. However, these people fail to understand that
 Surname 2

there are a number of underlying factors in this situation that actually prove that addiction is not

a choice but indeed a disease. The following paper will support the argument that addiction is a

disease and justify its claim by giving relevant evidence and information on the topic.

It is no doubt that the state of addiction is the worst presentable state of any person. Many

people argue that if nobody forces anyone to use drugs, then how can it be a disease? People

indulge in drugs for a number of reasons. Some may be due to depression, or maybe they are

trying to escape the painful truths that come with reality (West 2001, p.11). It is however

important to recognize that the act of using drugs is different from a disease. It is important to

note that different people have varying rates of predisposition to drugs (Lushner 1999, p. 1311).

People that have a genetic predisposition with drugs usually experience a chemical reaction

within their brains the first time they use drugs especially hard drugs like heroin and cocaine

(Lushner 1997, p.46). First time use of such drugs causes a chemical reaction that creates an

irresistible bond and attachment to the feeling that the drug induces. People that lack a genetic

predisposition to the drug may enjoy the feeling that comes with usage of the drug but they may

find it more difficult to become hooked to the drug. This goes to show that to some extent

addiction is indeed a disease.

It is possible for anybody to become dependent on a drug, it is important to be able to

distinguish between drug dependency and drug addiction, people who are dependent on a drug

usually experience withdrawal symptoms in the case where they lack access to the drug. This is

usually a physical factor that affects the dependent victim. Addiction on the other hand is

cognitive and not physical. People who are addicted to drugs become relatively dependent on the

drug while people who are dependent cannot be necessarily viewed as addicts (Koob 2006,

p.28). Addicts rarely find themselves at the stage of withdrawal because the cognitive connection
 Surname 3

that they have with the drug creates a fierce desire for usage that is so strong that the user just has

to use it.

Another claim that supports why addiction is a disease is the fact that addiction changes

the brains neutral balance. Addiction normally interferes with a crucial cognitive function that is

called homeostasis. Homeostasis is the bodies way of maintaining a natural balance (Fishbain

et.al 1992, p.82). When the brain experiences difficulty in maintaining a homeostatic balance,

then it adapts and makes changes by creating something known as a balanced set point also

known as allostasis. The fact that addiction actually affects the working of the brain goes along

to prove that it is indeed a disease.

Addiction also alters the brain’s communication capabilities. It becomes more difficult

for addicts to communicate and interact with their surroundings and anything that affects the

communication of the brain ultimately alters its functionality (Goodman 1990, p.1450).

Addiction additionally affects the communication patterns of the brain. Addiction causes the

brain to fail to produce neurons and their pathways around areas of damage of the brain

(Renthal& Eric, 2008, p.349). Addiction has a large effect on the brain and this goes to prove

how much of a disease it actually is.

Not all people agree that addiction is a disease, some argue that because it is self-taught

and nobody is forced to use and indulge in drug related activities, then it is a choice not an

addiction (Ausbel 1958, p.30). Indeed, it a choice to use drugs, but as we have seen, these drugs

have different effects on different people, and it is these effects that come from continuous use

and dependence that cause addiction. Therefore, the claim that addiction is a choice should be

dismissed as there is a significant difference between using drugs and actual addiction.
 Surname 4

Indeed, it is clear that addiction is a disease that affects people differently. Drug

dependency results from addiction and it has been shown that addiction can have serious effects

on the body and especially on the cognitive functioning of the brain. Hence, it is important for

more understanding and light to be shed on the topic of addiction so that people can recognize

that it is a disease. By doing so, people will be better equipped to confront this menace to

society.

Works Cited
 Surname 5

Ausubel, David P. "Drug addiction: Physiological, psychological, and sociological aspects."

(1958).

Fishbain, David A., Hubert L. Rosomoff, and Renee Steele Rosomoff. "Drug abuse, dependence,

and addiction in chronic pain patients." The Clinical journal of pain 8.2 (1992): 77-85.

Goldstein, Rita Z., and Nora D. Volkow. "Drug addiction and its underlying neurobiological

basis: neuroimaging evidence for the involvement of the frontal cortex." American

Journal of Psychiatry 159.10 (2002): 1642-1652.

Goodman, Aviel. "Addiction: definition and implications." Addiction 85.11 (1990): 1403-1408.

Koob, George F. "The neurobiology of addiction: a neuroadaptational view relevant for

diagnosis." Addiction 101.s1 (2006): 23-30.

Leshner, Alan I. "Addiction is a brain disease, and it matters." Science 278.5335 (1997): 45-47.

Leshner, Alan I. "Science-based views of drug addiction and its treatment." Jama 282.14 (1999):

1314-1316.

Renthal, William, and Eric J. Nestler. "Epigenetic mechanisms in drug addiction." Trends in

molecular medicine 14.8 (2008): 341-350.

West, Robert. "Theories of addiction." Addiction 96.1 (2001): 3-13.