Substance Abuse and Addiction Essay - 1957 Words

Introduction Substance abuse and addiction have become a social problem that afflicts millions of individuals and disrupts the lives of their families and friends. Just one example reveals the extent of the problem: in the United States each year, more women and men die of smoking related lung cancer than of colon, breast and prostate cancers combined (Kola Kruszynski, 2010). In addition to the personal impact of so much illness and early death, there are dire social costs: huge expenses for medical and social services; millions of hours lost in the workplace; elevated rates of crime associated with illicit drugs; and scores of children who are damaged by their parents’ substance abuse behavior (Lee, 2010). This paper will look at†¦show more content†¦However, the â€Å"Just Say No† campaign championed by former U.S. First Lady Nancy Reagan in the 1980s did not appear to significantly reduce drug abuse and addiction (Padgett, 2010). The disease model: This theory states that an individual who abuses drugs requires medical treatment rather than moral punishment or exhortation. This theory also justifies spending money to research substance abuse in the same way that money is spent to research other diseases. However, usually the term disease is reserved for a state in which we can identify an abnormal biochemical or physical condition. No abnormal biochemical or physical condition has been found in the case of substance addiction, although mounting evidence suggests that some individuals are genetically predisposed to addiction more so than others. Nevertheless, this theory continues to appeal to researchers, and an intensive effort is always being made to identify the physiological â€Å"switch† that establishes addiction after exposure to a drug (Lee, 2010). The physical dependence model: This theory, sometimes referred to as the withdrawal avoidance model, is based on the unpleasant withdraw symptoms that can occur when an individual stops taking a drug that they used rather frequently. The specific withdrawal symptoms depend on the drug, but they are often the opposite effect produced by the drug itself. For instance, the withdrawal symptoms of cannabis include irritability,Show MoreRelatedAddiction And Substance Abuse And Addiction Essay2001 Words   |  9 PagesNational Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, addiction is defined as a chronic, complex disease which affects the functioning of the ones brain and body (â€Å"What is Addiction,† n.d.). There are more people struggling with abuse and addiction than people that have cancer, heart disease, or even cancer (â€Å"Addiction Prevalence,† n.d.). 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