Why Addiction Should Be Considered a Disease. Social Sciences Essay

WHY ADDICTION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A DISEASE
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Introduction
Over the years, drug addiction has been looked at as a weakness on the part of the user. People who used drugs were often shunned by society and were in some communities considered outcasts. Well, all this is about to change as new evidence appears to suggest that drug addiction could, in fact, be a disease. This theory is from the notion that drugs interfere with a person’s brain and cause a dependence. Well, this appears to make sense and more researchers have dedicated their time and resources towards proving that indeed drug addiction is a disease. Before showing the reasons why drug addiction is a disease, it is crucial to start with the definition. Drugabuse.gov defines addiction as “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.” The key thing from this definition is that loses control over their bodies and desires. Addiction controls what one does and when they decide to seek for whichever drug they are ‘hooked’ onto. Addicts know and understand the effects of their addiction but are often overwhelmed and never seem to amass the energy and will to overcome the ‘temptation.’ There are different reasons why addiction should be considered a disease and below is an in-depth elucidation of these reasons.
Why should drug addiction be considered a disease
First, drugs influence the brain’s functions. Every drug interferes with the brain’s reward circuit and thus eventually triggers changes to the body. The part of the brain that is influenced by drugs is the one tied to the functions of remembering, decision-making, learning, behaviour control. What drug addicts do not know is that long-term use of a drug triggers a change in the reward circuit of the brain. When these changes occur, they eventually become part of the person and thus influence their every move and impairs their judgment. One of the reasons why drug addicts find it difficult to quit their habits is because the use of drugs eventually influences or wears out their self-control.
Secondly, it’s not always about willpower. Some people today still believe that drug addicts are the way they are because of the mistakes and choices they made. Well, this is partly true because one always decides to take the first sip or the first puff. However, after a while, these people lose control of what they are doing and why they are doing what they are doing. Looking at a majority of the addicted individuals, one can say that many desire to leave their habits behind. Many of them understand the problem and pain they are causing their families and loved ones. However, after a certain while, due to continuous intake of drugs, one finds that their bodies cannot stand life without drugs. At this point, any drug addict uses a drug simply be...