Addiction Etiology Model and Recovery Implications - University Essay

This essay explores the biological and psychopathological model of addiction, arguing that it provides the best framework for understanding addiction's causes and guiding recovery. It emphasizes the role of genetics, brain chemistry, and neurological structures, highlighting how individual physiological and genetic characteristics contribute to addiction vulnerability. The essay also discusses the limitations of this model, particularly its potential to overlook mental health factors as underlying causes. It examines the biological approach's focus on measurable aspects, such as hormonal effects and genetics. The paper concludes that the biological and psychopathological model offers a systematic and analytical approach to understanding addiction's causes and recovery implications, even with its limitations, making it the most effective way to derive the cause of addiction and understand recovery implications. References from relevant sources are included to support the arguments presented.

Running head: ADDICTION ETIOLOGY MODEL AND RECOVERY IMPLICATIONS
Addiction Etiology and Recovery Implications
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1ADDICTION ETIOLOGY MODEL AND RECOVERY IMPLICATIONS
The model of addiction etiology that best describes why people get addicted and how
best to help them is the biological and psychopathological model of addiction and
implications of recovery. Addiction is an effect on the neurological structure of a human
body. Mostly, the medical view of having an addiction focuses on the psychopathological
health of a person. Addiction is subjectified with cognitive complicatedness, mental disorders
and mood disturbances as well as biological health (Wormer and Davis 2016). The following
position paper would comprise of the best possible model of addiction etiology of a person
getting addicted and the ways to help a person get through the process of recovery from
addiction.
As per the biological model approves, every person has a unique feature by their
physiology and genetics. This acts as a contributing factor for addiction in a person. The
biological model of addiction etiology depends on the affect that genetics has on a person and
the natural forces driving the addictive nature (Best et al. 2016). Addiction can be regarded as
a mental disorder driven by chemistry of the brain, structure of the brain and abnormalities
found in the genetic structures. This can be emphasized in a simple example. A person may
find a substance like kerosene smell very enticing and irresistible, whereas another person
may not be affected with the same substance at all; even to the extent of not even trying
experiencing the smell by any means. In the similar way, resisting giving in to impetuous
desires is also a strong and rational neurological action that is not present in every person
(Heyman and Mims 2016). Genetic vulnerability is a rationale for developing addictions over
impulsive stimuli and recovery implications depends on recognizing this issue in a person.
The biological model etiology states that addiction in a human body depends on the
genetic vulnerability of a person and the force of the nature responsible for the driving force
of the addiction. There are many evidences noticed all around that strongly establishes this
point of view of a person developing addictions. For example, in a group of office colleagues,

2ADDICTION ETIOLOGY MODEL AND RECOVERY IMPLICATIONS
not everybody is seen to develop the same habits even after spending almost the entire day
together. Some may have the habit of smoking cigarettes, some may be addicted to alcohol
and some may be seen not addicted to anything at all. Although, it may be seen that the
person addicted to cigarettes or alcohol offers the others, but some may decline the offer.
This proves that the person declining has rational view of not giving into a habit that may
affect his or her neurological health. On the other hand, the people who are already under the
garbs of addiction do not have neurological strength to give up the desires on their own
(DiClemente 2017). The only way to find out the path of recovery for the people addicted is
to find the reason behind the addiction (Nolen-Hoeksema and Rector 2015). It can be
possible that the addicted person could not muster the courage to stay strong in front of peer
pressure or psychopathological reasons may inflict the person into being an addict.
As every model of etiology has its strengths and limitations, there are ways in which
the biological and psychopathological model of etiology can become limited in depicting the
nature and causes behind addiction. It can be said that since this model focuses more on the
physical abilities and disabilities of a person in falling into or staying out of addiction, it does
not consider mental illness as an underlying cause for addiction. The biological approach
focuses more on the nature of the cause, the hormonal effects of the neurotransmitters, and
genetics. It is a deterministic approach since the focus of the model of etiology is on a
measurable aspect (Schulte et al. 2014). Even for reliability, the experimental procedures can
be repeated while calculating the possible recovery implications. However, in case of
psychological approaches, it may be possible that the subject is not is in the same state of
mind as before. Therefore, the approach has advantages as well as its disadvantages in
determining the reasons for addiction development in a person.
It can be concluded from the above discussion that the biological and
psychopathological model of etiology is the best possible way of deriving the cause of

3ADDICTION ETIOLOGY MODEL AND RECOVERY IMPLICATIONS
addiction in people and the recovery implications. Although this process has its limitations in
justifying the addictions with respect to a person’s mental health, a systematic approach
paves its way to a much analytical process to detect the causes. Therefore, the biological and
psychological model of etiology and recovery implications for making out the reasons for
addiction is so far the best possible approach.

4ADDICTION ETIOLOGY MODEL AND RECOVERY IMPLICATIONS
References
Best, D., Beckwith, M., Haslam, C., Alexander Haslam, S., Jetten, J., Mawson, E. and
Lubman, D.I., 2016. Overcoming alcohol and other drug addiction as a process of social
identity transition: the social identity model of recovery (SIMOR). Addiction Research &
Theory, 24(2), pp.111-123.
DiClemente, C.C., 2017. Addiction and change: How addictions develop and addicted people
recover. Guilford Publications.
Heyman, G.M. and Mims, V., 2016. What addicts can teach us about addiction: a natural
history approach. Addiction and choice: rethinking the relationship, pp.386-408.
Nolen-Hoeksema, S. and Rector, N.A., 2015. Abnormal psychology. Boston: McGraw-Hill.
Schulte, M.H., Cousijn, J., den Uyl, T.E., Goudriaan, A.E., van den Brink, W., Veltman, D.J.,
Schilt, T. and Wiers, R.W., 2014. Recovery of neurocognitive functions following sustained
abstinence after substance dependence and implications for treatment. Clinical psychology
review, 34(7), pp.531-550.
Van Wormer, K. and Davis, D.R., 2016. Addiction treatment. Cengage Learning.