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Throughout history, addiction has largely been seen as a moral failing or character flaw, as opposed to an issue of public health. [54] [55] [56] Substance use has been found to be more stigmatized than smoking, obesity, and mental illness.
Chemistry, not moral failing, accounts for the brain’s unwinding. In the laboratories that study drug addiction, researchers have found that the brain becomes conditioned by the repeated dopamine rush caused by heroin. “The brain is not designed to handle it,” said Dr. Ruben Baler, a scientist with the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
The life-process model of addiction is the view that addiction is not a disease but rather a habitual response and a source of gratification and security that can be understood only in the context of social relationships and experiences. This model of addiction is in opposition to the disease model of addiction.
The stigma surrounding addiction can heavily influence opioid addicts not to seek help. Many people view addiction as a moral failing rather than a medical condition, which can lead to feelings of shame and isolation. This stigma can also affect family members, making it difficult for them to support their loved ones effectively. [178]
It attributes addiction to a chemical imbalance in an individual's brain associated with genetics or environmental factors. [ 3 ] The other model is the choice model of addiction , which contends that addiction is a result of voluntary actions rather than brain dysfunction. [ 4 ]
Addiction is classified as a chronic brain disorder by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM). [5] There are several reasons why people develop an addiction. A predisposition to the addictive qualities of substances may be inherited by some people, making it a genetic circumstance. Another cause for addictions could be the environment.
Showing that a medication can help someone stop taking drugs makes it easier to communicate this and helps people to understand that addiction is a mental health disorder, not a moral failing ...
A way to destigmatize substance use disorders and shift public perception from viewing them as a moral failing to understanding them as a chronic medical condition which requires treatment. Provide those who are struggling with addiction assurance and encouragement of healing, and let them know that they are not alone in their struggle.