Addictions Discussions
The term addiction goes beyond the use of substances or chemicals that alters an individual’s normal functioning and reasoning owing to the prolonged use of such substances. Instead, it entails both the extreme dependence on such substances as well as repetitive behavioral aspects that arises from one’s inability to regulate unpleasant behavior(Zilberman et al., 2018). The behavioral addictions manifest through sex addiction, serial gambling, addiction to masturbation, or any other non-conforming behavioral aspect. The road to addiction is within a continuum, and no one could become addicted without following that path. The first path that most individuals who are living free from behavioral or substance addiction find themselves is the total abstinence phase followed by the abuse stage that separates addiction from abstinence(Zilberman et al., 2018). The third phase of addiction arises from the continuous abuse of either the substance or the repetition of the behavior until someone starts struggling without the substance or the behavior.
From the medical model of addiction’s perspective, addiction is an aspect that lies within an individual and views addiction as an illness or a disease that an individual has (Masiak et al., 2016). Further, the medical model is anchored on the assertion that addiction never exists in the continuum as one is either addicted or not (Masiak et al., 2016). The model perceives the addicted people as incapacitated as far as taking control of their behavior, or substance intake is concerned as irresistible cravings often overtake them. Finally, the model perceives addiction as a disease that is neither reversible nor curable but can only be managed through a deliberate and conscious decision of the individual to achieve abstinence.
Based on the medical model of addiction, there is a platform for abstinence as it views addiction as a health concern as opposed to a legal issue, giving the addicts a window of opportunity to attain abstinence. The approach is an effective counseling platform since it removes shame often felt by the addicts, offers a treatment approach, and allows the addicted people to understand their behaviors.
References
Masiak, J., Maciejewski, M., Wallace, B., Karasińska, K., Czerniec, M., & Gal, D. (2016). Addictions. Substance addictions vs. behavioural addictions. Archives of Physiotherapy & Global Researches, 20(2).
Zilberman, N., Yadid, G., Efrati, Y., Neumark, Y., &Rassovsky, Y. (2018). Personality profiles of substance and behavioral addictions. Addictive behaviors, 82, 174-181.