Addiction Treatment: Disease Model, Criticisms, and Counter-Arguments

This essay delves into the multifaceted realm of addiction treatment, focusing specifically on alcoholism. It begins by outlining current methods of addiction treatment, encompassing alcohol detoxification, behavioral therapies, and specialized medications. The essay then provides a detailed description of the disease model of addiction, exploring its origins and core tenets, which characterize addiction as a brain disease with genetic, biological, and environmental influences. Furthermore, the application of this model in addiction treatment is examined, emphasizing its role in shifting societal perceptions and encouraging treatment interventions. The essay critically analyzes the common criticisms leveled against the disease model, such as concerns about individual responsibility and the potential for demotivation. It then presents robust counter-arguments, highlighting the model's value in fostering empathy and promoting effective treatment approaches. The essay draws upon a variety of academic sources to support its assertions, culminating in a comprehensive understanding of the disease model's role in addiction treatment and recovery.

Running Head: HEALTHCARE 0
Working With Addicted
Population
Alcoholism
Student details

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Contents
Heading-1- Introduction................................................................................................2
Heading-2 Current methods of addiction treatment.......................................................2
Heading-3 -Description of the disease model of addiction............................................3
Heading-4 Application of the disease model in addiction treatment.............................4
Heading-5- Common criticisms and Counter Arguments of the Model........................5
Heading 6- Conclusion...................................................................................................6
Bibliography...................................................................................................................8

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Heading-1- Introduction
According to Maureen Boyle, who is the director of “National Institute on Drug
Abuse” in the branch of science policy, states that ‘Addiction is a kind of biopsychosocial
disorder, which is the combination of the individual genetics and neurobiology interaction
with the social and psychological factors’ (American Society of Addiction Medicine , 2011).
In the below paragraphs, there is an explanation of the problems arises due to the
addiction of alcoholism. This essay will also help in understanding the addiction problem, its
treatment with the help of current methods, addiction disease model, application of addiction
disease model for the treatment, Model’s criticism and counter-argument. Addiction disorder
happens due to the various harmful consumptions and inappropriate activities, which can
cause psychological and physical damage (Felman, 2018 ). Therefore, to cure this disorder
receiving the treatment is necessary, as it helps in breaking the addiction cycle.
Heading-2 Current methods of addiction treatment
In the case of addiction to alcohol, no medication can fully cure the
‘Alcoholism’. Therefore, some of the current methods that can be used to recover this
disorder along with the medication such as “Alcohol Detoxification”, “Behavioural
Treatment” and “Special Medication” (MA, 2013). Alcoholism is the kind of the disorder
causes due to the usage of the alcohol, in which the individual has the desire or the need to
consume alcohol continuously that cause a negative impact on the individual’s life
(Nordqvist, 2018). In this type of situation, the person is known as an alcoholic. As per the
data released by the World Health Organisation, more than 3 million people died due to the
regular consumption of alcohol (World Health Organisation , 2019).

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The first and effective method of alcoholism treatment is ‘Alcohol Detoxification’.
Here Detoxification refers to a medical treatment period, which includes counselling of the
individuals, who are alcoholic. Detoxification helps them to overcome the psychological
dependency and physical damage caused due to the consumption of alcohol. In this method,
the individual’s body goes through the natural process to get rid of the toxic and waste
products accumulated in the body due to the alcohol consumption for a longer duration. The
addiction hampers the brain’s memory, reward and motivational functions. Alcoholism is one
of the addiction problems, which will be discussed in this assignment to understand the
concepts related to addiction and its problems.
The second important method can be adopted by the individual is “Behavioural
Treatment”. The aim of this treatment is to change the drinking behaviour of the individual
with the help of counselling, conducted by the health professionals. This treatment includes
various parts such as “Cognitive Behavioural Therapy”, “Motivational Enhancement
Therapy”, “Marital and Family Counselling” and “Brief Interventions”, which helps in
changing the mindset of the alcoholic.
Heading-3 -Description of the disease model of addiction
In 1849, Magnus Huss who is the Swedish physician originated the “Disease Model”
in his essay, ‘Alcoholismus Chronicus’. This essay describes the alcoholism characteristics
and its description as a disease.
The “Disease Model of Addiction” elaborates the addiction as the disease with the
genetic, biological, environmental, and neurological sources of origin. This Model specifies
that the addiction must be considered a brain disease and states the altered brain
characterizations of the brain’s structure and function (Frontier, 2017). The brain gets

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abnormal due to the individual’s addiction to the consumption of the harmful substances on a
continuous basis and this model clarify that the addiction is the irreversible action, once
acquired. This model suggests that due to addiction of the harmful substances, there is the
change observed in the brain, in which the usage of substance is compromising with the
ability of an individual to stop the usage of the drug. The substances usage disorder has been
treated by this model as the medical condition (The National Institute of Drug abuse, 2019).
The reason behind the difficulties faced by the people, who are addicted is not just the
habit of them. Actually, it is the disease, which has been perceived with the help of the
“Disease Model of Addiction”. When the individual consumes the alcohol and drugs over
the duration of the time, it might change the brain circuit. In fact, the addiction changes the
mindset and the crucial parts of the brain, which hamper its function in such a manner that the
individual has to face a hard time while stopping the usage of the alcohol, even he or she has
the desire to quit (Hazelden betty ford, 2016). This Model has also considered as the “Brain
disease model of addiction” as the lack of will power of the individual caused this problem
and without any illness they need treatment.
Heading-4 Application of the disease model in addiction
treatment
Addiction is referred to the psychological problem or the physical inability, in which
the person is not able to stop consuming the harmful chemicals, drugs, substances or
activities even they are facing the physical or psychological harms (The Department of
Health , 2019). With the application of the Disease Model the addition of the alcohol is to be
considered as the biological or the chemical issue, which is progressive chronic and if it is not
been treated then later on it will become fatal. Therefore, after applying this model, it will

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help in understanding that alcohol addiction is the disease as the individual is suffering from
abnormal conditions and in this situation, the person suffers from distress, discomfort and
dysfunction.
Therefore, the application of the “Disease model of addiction” attributes the
alcoholism, which can be influenced by the environmental factors as it is considered as the
genetic predisposition. In the recent years, the medical community have established the new
ideas, which suggest that the addiction is the kind of brain disorder and hence, the treatment
is a compulsory part, if the individual wants to recover from the addiction of the alcohol. In
most of the places, the public is not accepting these kinds of individuals, who are suffering
from the addiction problem and they treat them as the victim. In addition, nobody wants to
take their responsibility because of their inappropriate behaviour (The National Institute of
Drug Abuse, 2019). However, this is not an accurate manner to handle these kinds of cases,
as the alcoholic will lose the hopes of recovery. If the model is applied for such kinds of
cases, then the people will be able to understand that the addiction to alcohol is the disease
and it can be cured by the proper and appropriate measures. Therefore, the application of this
model plays an important role in the community and the society as the people will now able
to makes the difference between the victim and the diseased person suffering from the
addiction of the alcohol.
Heading-5- Common criticisms and Counter Arguments of the
Model
The common criticism faced by this model is with the people who have addiction
problems as the people instead of trying to quit the addiction by their own desire, they will
get dependent on the others to help them. In addition, the individual who has the addiction

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problem will find the addiction much easier than taking the help of others for their recovery.
Moreover, the application of this model is the time-consuming process, as firstly it is
compulsory to convince the individual for quitting the drinking addiction habits, then only the
applicability of this model works on an individual (NCBI, 2019).
The second major criticism observed in this model is that it demotivates the individual
who is suffering from the addiction problem as the individual able to understand that
addiction problem is the kind of chronic disease and he or she gets depressed by generating
the negative thought about it. Rather than improving it, they start thinking that this kind of
disease is irreversible and cannot be cured (NCBI, 2019).
On the part of the counter-argument of this model, it can be observed that the
addiction is the kind of the drugs mucking up to the certain level for the brain parts and the
individual might consider it as the genetic predisposition, then only it will not become the
moral issue. In addition, this model actually made people understand that the suffering
individual does not like to be addictive. They just lost control of their senses and they are able
to find the difference between what is right and wrong for them. This makes the change in the
mindset of people and they start helping the individuals who are suffering from the addiction
problem. Hence, this model has perceived both the criticism and the counter-arguments.
Heading 6- Conclusion
From the above discussion, it can be concluded that the addiction of the person has
become dependent on the substances, which has been regularly consuming by the individual
and he is not able to stop taking it. The first part of the essay will cover the current methods
of treatment for the addiction of the alcoholism. The second part of this essay will cover the
discussion of the “Disease Model of the Addiction”. The third and the most significant

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method that must be considered for the alcoholism treatment is “Special Medication”.
Recently, three medications have been released by the U.S for the treatment of alcoholism,
which helps the individual to stop or reduce the drinking habit. This method is more effective
if the individual attends the counselling program along with the combination of the
medications. The physician of primary healthcare or health professionals can only prescribe
these medications. The third part of this essay will help in understanding the application of
this model of the treatment of the alcoholism. At the end of the essay, there is a detail
description of the criticism and the counter-arguments of this model.

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Bibliography
American Society of Addiction Medicine. (2011, April 12). Definition of Addiction.
Retrieved from American Society of Addiction Medicine:
https://www.asam.org/resources/definition-of-addiction
Felman, A. (2018, October 25). What is an addiction? Medical News Today, p. 1.
Frontier. (2017, November 1). Free Will and the Brain Disease Model of Addiction: The Not
So Seductive Allure of Neuroscience and Its Modest Impact on the Attribution of Free
Will to People with an Addiction. Retrieved from Frontier:
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01850/full
Hazelden betty ford. (2016, March 1). Advances in Neuroscience Have Evolved the
Understanding of Addiction. Retrieved from Hazelden betty ford:
https://www.hazeldenbettyford.org/education/bcr/addiction-research/brain-disease-
model-ru-316
MA, W. L. (2013). Teaching Addiction/Treatment/Recovery History: Relevance, Methods
and Resources. Journal of Teaching in the Addictions, 2(2), 33-43. doi:DOI:
10.1300/J188v02n02_03
NCBI. (2019, July 18). Addiction: Current Criticism of the Brain Disease Paradigm.
Retrieved from NCBI: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3969751/
NCBI. (2019, July 18). Drug addiction. Is it a disease or is it based on choice? A review of
Gene Heyman's Addiction: A disorder of choice. Retrieved from NCBI:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3047254/

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Nordqvist, C. (2018, May 29). What is alcohol abuse disorder, and what is the treatment?
Retrieved from Medical News Today:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/157163.php
The Department of Health. (2019, July 18). Models that help us understand AOD use in
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https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/treatment/what-to-do-if-you-have-problem-
drugs-adults
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https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/addiction-science
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