Is Addiction a Disease or Simply a Choice?: We may not hear about them often in our daily lives. Still, drug addiction, mental illness, and drinking issues arguably pose the most significant risk to the American family.

Of course, most people don’t even realize the extent of the dangerous consequences severe substance use disorder can bring on a person. But, this is often due to them not understanding the severity of abused substances can bring to life.

Is Substance Abuse a Disease or a Choice?

Is Substance Abuse a Disease or a Choice?

Today, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the American Medical Association. Addiction medicine can help curb the side effects taking drugs or drinking too much can have on an addicted person. However, to understand the importance of medical professionals guiding addiction treatment. Family, friends, and individuals must realize that addiction is a choice in many cases, but it is also a brain disease.

Currently, over 30 million men, women, and children struggle with these life-threatening diseases.

But luckily, poor choices, environmental factors, drug use, and addiction do not need to affect each person in the same way. And as a result of dedicated medical research, people can work to feel normal again when they enter treatment for alcoholism and drug addiction.

How The Disease Model of Addiction Affects America, Resembling Other Chronic Diseases

Today, not everyone can tolerate a conversation about drugs or drinking.

In some cases, this is because a loved one is an addicted person, and they aren’t sure how to help them. Or, maybe the individual has had adverse childhood experiences with drugs or alcoholism. Regardless of environmental factors or mindset, addiction can be tricky to discuss. Still, that does not mean the topic can be avoided.

In order to understand the behavior of addiction so we can build better health support services and treatments, we must discuss the disease and its effects on the mind/body.

Like diabetes, for instance, addictions to drinking or drugs can have physical consequences for a person. Yet, like depression, addiction behaviors can also have mental and even professional or social consequences. In the end, it is crucial for us all to understand that addiction, as a disease, poses as much danger to people as diabetes, heart disease, liver, and respiratory problems do.

And in many cases, the major factors that influence and create addictions can also have severe consequences on a person’s health. And lead to the development of other body ailments, negative behaviors, and mental disorders.

You Can Help Family Members, Friends, or Even a Person You Don’t Know, Recover from The Disease of Addiction

Whether you or a loved one struggles with addiction, or maybe you work with or for someone who suffers from substance abuse. Even if you are simply looking to learn the facts about addiction, your involvement and dedication to learning more about addicted people’s behaviors, substances, the brain, and overall health can significantly help broaden your understanding and compassion.

In the U.S. today, it is estimated that over 164.8 million people use substances in one way or another.

Addiction Affects Millions of Americans

Addiction Affects Millions of Americans

Of those known users, the U.S. estimates that over 30 million of these individuals suffer from some substance use disorder, addiction, or form of problematic drug or alcohol use.

This may not seem like many people struggling on a global scale. But keep in mind this is only the number of people who struggle with a use disorder in the U.S. The global population may be over 7 billion, but the U.S.’s local population is only a little over 330 million.

As a result, the amount of people struggling with addictive behavior in the United States poses a real and alarming risk to the American population and its overall health. Thus, the American Journal labels substance abuse and addiction as real national health crises. These public issues can have several onsetting risk factors and potential for professional treatment.

Yet, the question remains, is addiction a disease or simply a choice like so many people have long believed?

Defining Drug Abuse, Substance Use Disorder, and Addiction

To better grasp addiction and substance abuse, it is essential to know their exact definitions.

First, it’s crucial to understand that addiction is not a moral failing. Instead, we must learn to see the abuse of substances for what they indeed are, a brain disease. A substance use disorder (SUD) occurs when an individual’s substance use behavior grows severe or out of control. In the beginning, people may use drugs or alcohol to stimulate pleasure in the brain or allow themselves some pain relief.

But suppose individuals continue to abuse substances for pleasure (or even by accident). In that case, they risk losing self-control over their brain and body.

At The End of The Day, SUDs are Mental Disorders that Affect a Person’s Brain, Body, and Overall Behavior

Both substance use disorders and addictions can have varying degrees of severity.

Typically, SUDs lead to addictions after consistent abuse. Thus, causing people financial, family, physical health, and other social consequences. For some people, compulsory SUDs can occur after only one problematic use of alcohol or other drugs. Meanwhile, other people may take time to depend on substances after continued misuse patterns prevail.

Severe substance use disorders and drug/alcohol dependence can lead to addiction. And addiction can lead to a plethora of other physical and mental health problems.

Luckily though, it is possible for an addicted person to receive treatment for addiction, no matter how the SUD came to be.

What Causes Addiction?

Now that you are familiar with all the different types of addictions and SUD severities. You can begin to look into and understand the various risk factors that put people in danger of developing a use disorder.

Today, we understand that addiction can be a disease and a choice. But, what is it that causes addiction?

There are many factors involved with the development of addiction. But overall…substance use disorders and addiction are considered a chronic disease of the mind that results in an individual’s inability to fight the impulses set forth by their brain and body. So, yes. Addiction is a disease.

Yet unfortunately, it’s not a disease that many people understand very well.

Environmental and Biological Factors that Can Influence the Risk of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse

There is no one specific cause of substance use disorders and addiction. Both conditions have a plethora of inciting factors that can often work in tandem until they eventually develop a substance use disorder and addiction in a person.

Substance Use Disorders Develop in Several Ways in Various Timeframes

Substance Use Disorders Develop in Several Ways in Various Timeframes

In the end, no one chooses to become a drug or alcohol addict. Even those who use drugs and alcohol in unsafe manners or for pleasure aren’t trying to become addicted to these substances.

Addiction develops over time. And as a result of many different on-setting factors. These risk factors can include:

  • An individual’s genetics
  • Gender
  • Height
  • Weight
  • Personal metabolism
  • An individual’s family history
  • Personal use and abuse patterns
  • A person’s stress levels
  • Early childhood development environment
  • Current environment
  • Personal peer pressure levels

And so much more. Drugs and alcohol change how the brain operates chemically, making it easier for an individual to engage in risky use patterns over a long period. Thus, potentially leading to eventual addiction.

Many people don’t understand the mechanics of addiction. Still, as time goes on, more and more people are progressively learning more about the condition to combat the social stigma against it and help improve addiction treatment. Currently, addiction is still a highly misunderstood, complex, chronic disease.

Even so, it is a treatable condition that people can learn more about.

The Changing Stigma Against Drug Abuse and Addiction

For many years, men, and women of all ages, have struggled with understanding addiction.

The disease hurts people, not just those who suffer from the disease but those around them. Individuals struggle to understand why their friend or family member is going through such extreme changes. And for a long time in American history, drug and alcohol use disorders were not spoken about. Thus, individuals who suffered from the disease were either cast out of their homes or hidden from the public eye in familial efforts to avoid public scrutiny.

But, as more research has been conducted on drug and alcohol addiction, a greater understanding of the condition has grown.

With this increased understanding has come a new level of public knowledge and compassion. Even though drug and alcohol abuse are still regarded with anxiety and helplessness, the general public and individual families no longer treat addiction as an intentional choice. Instead, they see it for the chronic disease that it is.

As a result, more families seek treatment and help for their loved ones who struggle with addiction instead of shunning them. There is still a lot of work that needs to be done to change the overall stigma against substance abuse and addiction. Still, already the mindset has changed from blame to compassion.

And thus, a new focus on providing help and getting treatment has grown in the addiction community.

Addiction Rehab and Substance Abuse Treatment

Truthfully, addiction is a disease that alters the mind to affect nearly every aspect of a person’s life.

As a result, the stigma against addicts has a long, complicated history.

But luckily, with new research being uncovered about addiction every year, the public mindset on substance abuse disorders has shifted. Now, society focuses more on getting people help to heal through addiction treatment. As a result, drug and alcohol rehab centers across Florida–and the rest of the nation–have been able to open their doors to more people seeking help and healing for their addiction.

St. John’s Recovery Place, A Center Dedicated to Addiction Treatment

Rehab facilities like St. John’s Recovery Place (SJRP) work diligently to provide clients with a quality treatment program, focusing on mental and physical healing.

St. John's Recovery Place is a Drug and Alcohol Rehab Center in Crescent City, Florida

St. John’s Recovery Place is a Drug and Alcohol Rehab Center in Crescent City, Florida

Not all drug and alcohol rehab facilities are the same. But typically, St. John’s works closely with an individual’s medical care team to provide them with services that include:

And much, much more. Addiction is hard, and additionally, treatment for substance abuse can be unpleasant at times.

But at the end of the day, rehab centers like SJRP work tirelessly to ensure their clients receive the supportive, quality care environment they need to heal. Addiction and recovery look different for everyone. So it would help if you remembered that treatment will look different for you and your family too. Recovery is not a race; your healing journey is all your own. So, don’t wait another day to begin your journey towards a recovery lifestyle. Call SJRP today at 1-833-397-3422 or visit us online to start your recovery journey.