Addiction Lack Of Will Power Or Brain Disease - 1186 Words

Addiction: Lack of Will Power or Brain Disease? Demonika M. Martin PS101 Introduction to Psychology Park University . I. Introduction Addiction is a disease that continues to fester and destroy individual’s lives. Once an individual is under the influence of drugs they no longer have control over their actions. Drug user’s brains are hijacked and taken on an explosive ride that begins with pleasure and ends in the damage of their brain. â€Å"Drug use is on the rise in this country and 23.5 million Americans are addicted to alcohol and drugs. That’s approximately one in every 10 Americans over the age of 12 – roughly equal to the entire population of Texas†¦.† said Dr. Kima Joy Taylor, director of the Closing the Addiction Treatment Gap Initiative. Once a person is addicted to a drug or alcohol they will lose their willpower and become subject to the desire of needing that drug continuously. II. Counter Argument There are a selective few that may feel that addiction is a choice and not a brain disease. There are various possibilities that may lead to an individual voluntarily using drugs. It is very doubtful that it is due to brain disease but in fact to stimulate a craving that is not essential to sustaining life. Psychologist Marc Lewis argues; â€Å"The brain changes with addiction,† he writes. â€Å"But the way it changes has to do with learning and development — not disease.† In contrast to Mr. Lewis’s statement the National Institute on Drug Abuse defines addictionShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Too Much Sugar On The Body1197 Words   |  5 Pagesbeen linked to Type 2 Diabetes, obesity, cancer, heart disease, and many other illnesses (Fed Up). These illnesses do not come about by merely eating sugar one time, of course, but emerging studies continue to find that excessive amounts of sugar increase their risk factors significantly. 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They concludedRead MoreDrug History And Policy Changes1558 Words   |  7 Pagesare drug addicts are all criminals and we (the law) should throw them in jail† to â€Å"addiction is a disease.† Even the way that addicts/alcoholics are treated has changed to treatment centers with specialist versus throwing them in the hospital to detox and hoping for a change. Policies that are shifting the penalty from incarceration to treatment reflect these changes and help the individual suffering from the disease to get back on their feet. The war on drugs rings on, but changes are being made.Read MoreAlcoholism : Is Alcoholism A Disease?929 Words   |  4 Pagesbe treated as a disease. Such approach to defining alcoholism means denying that alcohol abusers own a choice. In consequence, the treatment related differs and may or may not actually help alcoholics recover. 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Alcohol Abuse and its Indications Alcohol has been around for many centuries, involving tradition, religion, and social gatheringsRead MoreAddiction : Decision Or Disease Essay2021 Words   |  9 PagesAddiction: Decision or Disease According to The National Institute on Drug Abuse, â€Å"addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences to the addicted individual and to those around him or her† (Drug Facts, 2012). Codependency disorder and drug addiction often go hand in hand; they feed into each other’s obsessions and unhealthy behaviors. The brains of those afflicted exhibit similar flaws within the prefrontal corticesRead MoreThe Connection Between Prescription Drugs And Heroin Addiction1540 Words   |  7 PagesConnection Between Prescription Drugs and Heroin Addiction It is likely that at some point in a person’s life it will be necessary to obtain medical assistance due to a chronic illness, injury, or sudden accident that requires a physician’s diagnosis and perhaps prescription medication. Although this very routine happening may be necessary, and at times critical, the adverse effects of taking prescription drugs that contain opioids can lead to an addiction, possible overdose, and death. The research