Psychology

Drug addition or abuse has been identified as a major social, health, and economic problem in the American society. According to statistical research findings, substance abuse is costing the American nation and estimated over half a trillion dollars annually on health, crime and lowered productivity costs (NIDA, 2009). In addition to these costs, drug addictions bring other social problems such as domestic violence, child abuse, failure in school, and breakdown of families (Bartzokis, 2005). Nevertheless, the debate on whether drug addiction should be considered a disease has been received with contradictory views from social, scientific and political fronts of the American community.

Some members of the community claim that drug addiction is a matter of choice and thus, as a problem, it should be seen as being lack of willpower by the victims to realize behavioral change (Alan, 2001). On the other side, scientists and medical professionals have tried to explain the effects of drugs in compromising the normal functioning of the human brain, leading to the conclusion that drug addiction is indeed a brain disease (Alan, 2001). This essay gives a discussion is support of the thesis that drug addiction should be considered a disease. The author also identifies some views by opponents of this claim.

Opponents of the fact that drug addiction is a disease have cited that it is a behavioral phenomenon that is self induced (Bartzokis, 2005). According to them, drug addiction is a behavior and just like other behaviors, it is driven by choice (NIDA, 2009). Therefore, based on this reasoning, drug addiction is a perceived as a deliberate act by an individual aimed at realizing their predetermined goals. Such goals could include irresponsible behaviors, criminal activities andor lack of commitment all of which use drugs as an excuse for identifying the actual motives. Due to this claim, the question of dealing with addiction has its weight on the victims willpower to change.

Another common misconception on drug addiction is that it is a culturally imposed social problem (NIDA, 2009). This claim is based on the association of peer pressure to groupthink mentality in individuals. Another reason which has been cited to support the perception is that in the American society, drug addiction or abuse problems are mainly associated with particular communities andor regions (Alan, 2001). According to statistical information of drug related crimes, the black American community has the largest number of prisoners convicted for drug crimes. On this basis, drug addiction is perceived as a cultural factor which has over time become a lifestyle for the community members.

However, proponents of the claim that drug addiction is a disease cite its long term damage on the brain (Alan, 2001). It is unquestionable that initially, most cases of drug use are voluntary. However, recurrent use of drug makes this sense of self control evidently disrupted. Just to be appreciated is that the human brain is responsible for controlling the effective functioning of the body including reasoning, responsiveness and judgment. Therefore, based on this reasoning, it is concluded that long time use of drugs results into brain changes which best serve to compromise the cognitive and emotional functioning of the victim addiction (Alan, 2001).

Available scientific research findings have claimed substantially that drug addiction is a brain disease that develops over time (NIDA, 2009). Drugs are basically composed of chemicals and when consumed affect the brains communication system as they compromise the process of sending, receiving and processing information by brain nerve cells (Alan, 2001). According to available scientific evidence, when drugs enter the blood-stream, they affect metabolic activity of the brain, availability of receptor and responsiveness to external cues (Alan, 2001). This is because drugs are found to affect the brains reward system, whose constant activation through drug use leads to drug addiction.

In support of this claim, scientific evidence has linked drugs to causing surges in brain messengers particularly dopamine neurotransmitters (Bartzokis, 2005). Due to the natural quest for chemical balance in the human body, the brain quickly adapts to these changes by either increasing or decreasing the production dopamine (Bartzokis, 2005). However, this counterbalancing action by the brain over time leads to desensitization of the brain messaging circuits, a factor which brings withdrawal symptoms to the victim (Alan, 2001). Therefore, the chemical cycles brought by drugs in the brain, leading to feeling of withdrawal syndrome, are responsible causing addiction. This is because the natural pleasure feelings are compromised (tolerance) thus forcing victims to continue abusing the drug as a way of realizing pleasure.

Another explanation on drug addiction as a disease is that long term abuse of drugs affects the glutamate part of the brain which is responsible for the learning process of an individual (NIDA, 2009). Such alteration of the glutamate results into compromising the cognitive functioning of the brain, a factor which attributes drugs abuse to unconscious learning. This unconscious learning is responsible for the uncontrollable impulsive behavior in drug addict victims (NIDA, 2009).

In conclusion therefore, given our modern advancement in technology and research practices, drug addiction should best be understood as a brain disease. This is because despite being mostly a self triggered practice, on continued use of drugs negates the individuals ability to control, a condition referred to as addiction (NIDA, 2009). However, drug addiction can be treated. This calls for the government and all other stakeholder to engage their resource is adopting a clinical approach in fighting the problem of drug abuse in the society.