...The Disease Model According to the disease model of addiction, addiction is a brain disease. Marked changes in brain structure and function that, over time, lead to involuntary use or compulsive behavior are the key characteristics of the disease (Leshner, 2001). The behavioral expressions of addiction are uncontrollable, and in that aspect, similar to that of other brain diseases. For example, just as schizophrenics cannot voluntarily control their hallucinations and delusions or Parkinson’s patients cannot control their trembling, an addict cannot control the urge to use (Leshner, 2001). Once an individual has the disease, it is irreversible. It is an incurable, chronic illness. Proponents of this model purport treating the addict just as one would treat an individual with any other brain disease or chronic illness (McLellan, Lewis, O’Brien & Klecher, 2000). As with other diseases, a holistic treatment approach, combining medication therapy, behavioral therapy and any needed social services and rehabilitation is considered the best treatment approach (Leshner, 2001). Research would seem to support the position that chronic substance use produces long-lasting changes in the brain (Volkow, Chang, Gene-Jack, Fowler et al., 2001) that are responsible for the impaired cognitive functioning, including the compulsive urge to use, that is characteristic of addictive behavior (Leshner, 2001). The comparative analysis conducted by McLellan and others (2000) also suggests similar kinds...
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...social diseases, such as drug or alcohol addiction, or the reasons behind behavior among certain populations. Introduction A number of studies have been conducted in order to provide members of the medical and psychological community with information to determine the best course of treatment for patients with alcohol addiction. These studies take into account other factors, such as personality disorders, chronic diseases, and also address the use of medication and psychological treatment. The first study entitled, Personality Disorders Among Alcoholic Outpatients: Prevalence and Course in Treatment, attempts to determine the prevalence of personality disorders among men and women seeking outpatient treatment for alcoholism. The hypothesis is that if there is a personality disorder present, it should help determine the type of treatment an alcoholic receives. The treatment chosen should be tailored to the patient’s comorbid personality disorder, or lack thereof. The second study entitled, Chronic disease and recent addiction treatment utilization among alcohol and drug dependent adults, “the objective of this paper is to evaluate the association between the presence of chronic medical disease and recent addiction treatment utilization among adults with substance dependence.” (Reif, Larson, Cheng, et al., 2011) The hypothesis that is being studied is whether the presence of a chronic disease will effect an individual’s decision to seek treatment for an addiction. The...
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...Disease Management: Empowering Patients and Improving the Effectiveness of Patient Care Disease Management: Empowering Patients and Improving the Effectiveness of Patient Care Managed care organizations are continually searching for new ways to cut costs and people trying to manage an illness or disease are looking for ways to ease their symptoms, maintain their lifestyle, and stay out of the hospital. People with diseases are in the unique position for managed care organizations to focus cost saving programs on. Diseases can be incredibly expensive to treat and while people suffering from diseases are not a majority of patients, they are certainly the most costly (Lorig & Holman, 2003). Disease management programs can also motivate patients to change their lives by better managing their disease and get those diseases under control by giving patients the skills and expertise necessary. Disease management programs seek to change the approach to patient care with regards to difficult conditions by incorporating evidence based medicine techniques and outcomes that can contribute to the wellness of patients by using combinations of education, provider practice guidelines, consultations, appropriate drug utilization, supplementary drugs and services. Focus on these areas can keep patients illnesses from reaching emergent care levels as well as reducing the outlay associated with high–cost diseases. Disease Management History Chronic conditions make up more than 40...
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...The Disease of Drug Addiction Joanne Frye HSER 340 Abstract Addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive seeking and use of addictive substances despite harmful consequences to the addicted individual and to those around him or her. Introduction Dramatic advances in science over the past 20 years have shown that drug addiction is a chronic relapsing disease that results from the prolonged effects of drugs on the brain. (Leshner, 1997) It is considered a brain disease because drugs change the brain structure and how the brain works. (Volkow and Schelbert, 2007) As with many other brain diseases, addiction has embedded behavioral and social-context aspects that are important parts of the disorder itself. Therefore, the most effective treatment approaches will include biological, behavioral, and social-context components. Recognizing addiction as a chronic, relapsing brain disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use can impact society’s overall health and social policy strategies and help diminish the health and social costs associated with drug abuse and addiction (Leshner, 1997). Addiction as a Disease For decades, the orthodox view in neuroscience and psychiatry has been that addiction is a psychiatric disease (Jellinek, 1960). In 1968 it was included in the second revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, positioning it explicitly as a mental illness for the purpose diagnosis and treatment...
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...What is addiction? Addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use, despite the consequences to the individual who is addicted and to those that are around him or her. Alt-hough the decision to take drugs are voluntary for most people, the brain changes that occur over time will challenge the addicted person’s self control and hamper his or her ability to resist taking drugs. Fortunately, treatments are available to help people counter their addiction’s powerful disruptive effects. Research found out that the best way to ensure the success for most patients is to combine addiction treatment medications with behavorial therapy. Treatment approaches that are tailored to each patient’s drug abuse patterns and any Co-occurring medical, psychiatric, and social problems can lead to sustained recovery and a life without drug abuse. Similar to other chronic, relapsing diseases, such as diabetes, asthma, or heart disease, drug addiction can be managed successfully. And as with other chronic diseases, it is not uncommon for a person to relapse and begin abusing drugs again. Relapse, however, does not signal treatment failure—rather, it indicates that treatment should be reinstated or adjusted or that an alternative treatment is needed to help the individual regain control and recover. There are chemicals in drugs that taps into the brains communication system, which disrupts how nerve cells normally would recieve, send, and process...
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...Drug Addiction Angela Figueroa COMM/156 May 20, 2012 Meghan Anderson Drug Addiction In society, drugs have been the downfall for many people. There are many reasons that a person may use drugs such as: peer pressure, relief of stress, increased energy, to relax, to relieve pain, to escape reality, to feel more self esteem, and for recreation ("Drug addiction and drug abuse," 2011). What is it that causes the obsession and compulsion to use drugs? Why can some people stop and others go on to become addicts? Addiction is often now defined by the continuing, compulsive nature of the drug use despite physical and/or psychological harm to the user and society ("Drug addiction and drug abuse," 2011). MRI’s have shown evidence that the brain of an addict has specific abnormalities of tissue malfunction that non-addicts do not have (About.com 2004). Drug addiction is a disease that can be defined as a disordered condition resulting from the effect of deficiency or imbalance on the body. Drug addiction can be considered almost like a cancer or virus because it takes over one’s body and can cause detrimental physical and mental effect (Antiessays.com, 2012) s. Addiction is a disease that affects not only the person taking the drugs, but also their family, friends and the community around them. Drug addiction is considered a disease by some but others view it as a lack of will power. Addiction to drugs was once viewed as a moral issue but as more research is done they are finding...
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... 11/10/14 Sociology of Addiction Position Paper Is Drug Addiction a Disease/Choice? People argue whether drug addiction is a disease or a choice. Today, I will be discussing this argument in hopes to have a better understanding as to why this topic is so controversial. Throughout my research, I easily found information on this topic and I am still not sure I have found any answers. Addiction can be defined as a behaviour that creates physical and psychological pleasure. However, this is where the cost to the individual visibly outweighs the benefits. Only psychoactive drugs that affect the brains pleasure zones will resort to dependence of substances. These substances include anything from alcohol and nicotine, to a variety of legal and illegal drugs. Even though there is a large amount of information on substance use for individuals there is not one individual theory that is singled out in regards to addiction. The definition from the dictionary describes addiction as a condition of being habitually or compulsively occupied with, or involved in something. Addiction itself can be defined as unmanageable, compulsive and an act that is carried out even when it threatens the individuals health and wellbeing or the potential harmful social consequences it could pose. The biggest argument is that addiction is a choice not a disease. For those on the other side of the argument...
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...Addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences (“Drug Abuse”). It is considered a brain disease because drugs change the brain; they change its structure and how it works.Drug Addiction affects more people than you know it. It can hurt the people around you and even yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally. Many unfortunate factors cause one to fall into drug addiction, but many ways exist for recovery. One way that can cause addiction is peer pressure. It has a big impact on many people and their lives. “Saying “yes” or “no” on the spur of the moment works pretty well most of the time. But big decisions need a little more attention and...
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...The cause of addiction is such a debatable topic because of the various scientific founding that present as of now. While growing up with my lack of knowledge and ignorance, I assumed people became addicted to opioids, depressants, etc. because they wanted to and it could easily be change like a lightbulb. However, according to the article, “Addiction is a Brain Disease, and it Matters”, written by Alan Leshner (1997), he identified that addiction is in the brain and it causes a lot of changes to the brain chemistry. The article is about what chronic addiction is and the domino affect it has, relating to public health and the various treatment approaches you can take to treating addiction. He opens the article speaking about what...
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...or injuries among Americans. Abused drugs include Amphetamines, Anabolic steroids, Club drugs, Cocaine, Heroin, Inhalants, Marijuana and Prescription drugs. Drug addiction is actually a disease and quitting is more than having a strong will or good intentions. Drugs change the brain which causes quitting to be more difficult even if the abuser is ready to do so because of withdrawals or other symptoms. It has so many negative consequences on the abuser and society. Estimates of the total overall costs of substance abuse in the United States, including productivity and health- and crime-related costs, exceed $600 billion annually. Estimates of the total overall costs of substance abuse in the United States, including productivity and health and crime related costs, surpass $600 billion annually. This includes approximately $193 billion for illicit drugs, (1) $193 billion for tobacco, (2) and $235 billion for alcohol. (3) As bad as these numbers are they don’t fully describe the other prices people pay such as crime, loss of employment, failure in school, domestic violence, child abuse, homelessness and death. It harms unborn babies and destroys families. There are different types of treatment for drug abuse. But the best is to prevent drug abuse in the first place. Addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use, regardless of the harmful consequences to the addicted person and to those...
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...“Drug Seeking” in Health Care Chronic pain affects a significant number of individuals living worldwide. The International Association on the Study of Pain [IASP] and the European Federation of the IASP Chapters [EFIC] indicates that one in five people suffer from moderate to severe chronic pain, and one in three are unable to maintain a lifestyle of independence due to their pain (World Health Organization [WHO], 2004). The WHO identifies that pain relief is an integral right for individuals to attain the highest level of physical and mental health (2004). The Committee on Advancing Pain Research, Care, and Education at the Institute of Medicine [IOM] (2011) examines pain as a public concern. The report concluded that chronic pain affects the lives of about 100 million US adults, “more than the total affected by heart disease, cancer, and diabetes combined” and is a national challenge (2011). Pain is a subjective physiologic phenomenon that cannot be objectified or verified and is often un-assessed, un-diagnosed, and undertreated. This stands as a serious public health concern because individuals experiencing chronic pain are at great risk for decreased functional status and quality of life. Additionally, individuals living with chronic pain experience the common co-morbidities of depression, anxiety, and anger (Wilsey et al., 2008). The IASP/EFIC data from WHO (2004) concludes that one in four individuals experiencing pain, report that relationships with family and...
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...Drug Addiction a Disease by Choice “Drug addiction, also called substance use disorder, is a dependence on a legal or illegal drug or medication. Keep in mind that alcohol and nicotine are legal substances, but are also considered drugs.” (Mayo Clinic, “Drug Addiction” 2014, para.1). There needs to be an understanding that addiction is a disease. “When scientists began to study addictive behavior in the 1930s, people addicted to drugs were thought to be morally flawed and lacking willpower”. (National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction” 2014, para.1). This formed society’s reaction to drug abuse, treating it as a choice not a disease. In today’s world scientist have changed our views on addiction. The findings about the brain have given scientists an understanding on addiction. The initial choice to try drugs is intentional for most people, but overtime the brain changes and a person’s self-control hinder their ability to resist impulses to use drugs. “Addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences” (National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Drugs Abuse, and Addiction” 2014, para.1). Drugs change the brains structure and how it works. Drugs contain different chemicals that interfere with communication in the brain; such as sending, receiving and processing information. Drugs such as marijuana have similar chemicals as messengers in the brain...
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...Many people do not understand why people become addicted to drugs or how drugs change the brain to foster compulsive drug abuse. They mistakenly view drug abuse and addiction as strictly a social problem and may characterize those who take drugs as morally weak. One very common belief is that drug abusers should be able to just stop taking drugs if they are only willing to change their behavior. What people often underestimate is the complexity of drug addiction -- that it is a disease that impacts the brain, and because of that, stopping drug abuse is not simply a matter of willpower. Through scientific advances we now know much more about how exactly drugs work in the brain, and we also know that drug addiction can be successfully treated to help people stop abusing drugs and resume productive lives. What Is Drug Addiction? Drug addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences to the drug addict and those around them. Drug addiction is a brain disease because the abuse of drugs leads to changes in the structure and function of the brain. Although it is true that for most people the initial decision to take drugs is voluntary, over time the changes in the brain caused by repeated drug abuse can affect a person's self-control and ability to make sound decisions, and at the same time create an intense impulse to take drugs. It is because of these changes in the brain that it is so challenging...
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...Drug Addiction: To Cure or Not To Cure Chris G Kinney University of Phoenix Abstract Drug addiction is a huge social problem to some people feel there is no end. People either try to fight this disease or just put their hands down preferring to think that nothing could be done. This paper investigates what drug addiction really is and why some people believe it is incurable. Primarily the main focus of the work is dedicated to the issue of how this challenge may be addressed and the basic factors that would help to make the treatment work. Various visions of this problem are studied, and the conclusion is that any disease is possible to cure however the success of these actions in what concerns drug abuse is mostly dependent on the willingness of the patient to fight the illness. Drug addiction is a global social problem, a war sweeping away millions of lives and demolishing national gene pools. There is no exaggeration in this definition. It is not a disease in a common sense of this word however it’s not a usual aspect healthy people may have. Drug abuse is a complete affection of the personality combined usually with the following complications of physical health. The most significant peculiarity of drug use is that being a pathological illness it is rather nonreversible, provided those negative changes of the person’s soul and mind which happened as a reaction to...
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...Addiction: The Disease HS 101: Addiction Pharmacology & Physiology Instructor: Wanda Urban November 23, 2013 I have often wondered why I turned out the way I did, an addict. I wonder if circumstances in my life influenced or contributed to that first time I decided to alter my state with a drug. Honestly, I don’t think it did. I had a normal childhood, in a loving family. We did not have a lot of money, but we had enough. We ate dinner together every night, we went camping in the summer, and took frequent family vacations. Even though there were no traumatic events to blame, I became an addict. But, I am not alone. A quick Google search will tell you that in 2002 there were an estimated 22 million Americans dependent on or abusing drugs, alcohol or both. That was a staggering number then, and is likely much higher now. Every day the news is full of the ramifications of addiction like drug overdoses, alcohol related accidents, and even death. I wonder how many of the people involved in these situations became addicts because of choice or if they were predisposed to the disease of addiction? There is much debate on whether addiction is a choice or a disease. Hundreds of books, journals and articles have been written on the topic and yet, the verdict is still out. Even in my own family there are conflicting points of view. At the dinner table one person argues it is definitely a choice, another says it is a disease, and yet another says it may very well be a disease...
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