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Effective Components in Determining Substance Use Behavior
Crystal Ramsey
Liberty University

Effective Components in Determining Substance Use Behavior
Addiction is regarded as having a multitude of causations and contributing factors. No single specific component or model can accurately predict a person’s substance use behavior (Clinton & Scalise, 2013). Substance use disorders are a reflection of the impact of person-specific biological, psychological, and social influences. Understanding an individual’s spiritual beliefs and the role spirituality plays in a person’s susceptibility to addiction is also necessary. If a spirituality component is absent in a person's life, addiction could fill that void (Doweiko, 2015). Substance abusers can use chemicals to cope with psychological anguish, social pressure, be biologically susceptible or to create an illusion of purpose.
Biology
The biological model consists of the physical, fundamental, and atomic mechanisms. These elements affect the natural functioning of the individual. Substance use disorders are believed to be the result of a physiological abnormality (Doweiko, 2015). Normal biological processes are altered within the body such as the reward system. Typically the reward system is designed to help people. However, numerous substances inundate the natural neurotransmitter system giving false signals to the brain’s reward system (Doweiko, 2015). Unfortunately, a natural process that evolved to assist in human existence has been disrupted by the reward potential of synthetic compounds. Genetic, biological differences render individuals either more or less susceptible to substance abuse. While it is probable that inherited variances exist, a single genetic component is inadequate to cause substance abuse and addiction (Doweiko, 2015). Unlike disorders that result from the occurrence of abnormalities in a

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