The building blocks of addiction

Reading Time: 4 Minutes

The building blocks of addiction: Why addiction is a disease and not a personal choice?

The term “addiction” has unfortunately become a very stigmatized word used among society and medical science. Unfortunately, society often views addiction as a lack of judgment or the inability to break out of bad habits because people lack self-control. However, this is a false assumption as addiction is a disease, just like heart disease, asthma, or diabetes. To understand why addiction is a disease, it is essential to understand the definition of a disease. We must keep having this conversation to raise awareness and break the stigma associated with addiction and the false perception that it is a moral failing. The more we treat addiction as a choice or lack of self-control, the more we are mistreating the people who are trying to be successful in recovery.

What is a disease?

The disease is any medical condition preventing the body from functioning normally. Diseases occur due to genetic, environmental, lifestyle, behavioral, and psychological factors and can occur at any life stage. They can occur in healthy people or people with underlying pre-existing medical conditions. The disease can affect each organ, including the brain, and some can be cured while others can be lifelong but can be treated throughout a person’s life. Otherwise, it is known as symptom reduction, and other diseases may be deadly. Examples of diseases include asthma, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, cancer, etc.

Dopamine and addiction

When drugs or alcohol are misused over time, changes in dopamine occur in the brain and body. Dopamine is a chemical released by the brain and acts as the body’s “reward system.” It is tied to activities that bring joy. Exercise, sex, listening to music, and food are joyous activities because they elicit the dopamine response in our “reward system.” The dopamine released during a workout or when jamming out to a song offers a small, healthy dosage designed to bring contentment and boost the body’s literal positive energy. The dopamine released from drugs and alcohol unlocks the floodgates, dousing your body in unnaturally high dopamine levels and creating immense feelings of joy. This is followed by a“dopamine crash or depletion” when dopamine leaves the body. When we continue to misuse drugs or alcohol, we enter a dangerous cycle where we need more dopamine to feel small amounts of joy. Even if we listen to music or go for a run, that is no longer enough dopamine to feel pleasure because our body has a new set point. Addiction occurs when we constantly need more dopamine to feel any sort of happiness because our brain and body have become re-wired to believe they need the abused substance to function properly. No longer is the substance used for recreational purposes, but it becomes something the body craves. This drastically affects our daily behaviors, thought patterns, and mood. This is a disease ​because one of our most crucial organs, the brain, has been affected. 

Risk factors for addiction

Just like with diseases such as asthma and diabetes, addiction has risk factors. Smoking history and being overweight are some lifestyle risk factors for asthma and diabetes; these diseases also have a genetic component as well as environmental components (black mold, pollutants, etc, for asthma). Similarly, addiction also has environmental factors, biological factors, and genetic factors that can make some people more prone to developing this disease.

• Growing up in a home where drugs and alcohol are prevalent is one of the strongest environmental risk factors associated with addiction.  

• Genetics is one of the most substantial risk factors for addiction. Studies show that a person with a family history of substance abuse has an increased likelihood of addiction by 60%.  

• Some people are more biologically inclined to be affected by any substance; even something as innocent as caffeine can have a more significant effect on some people compared to others. 

• People who have a history of trauma or mental health disorders such as depression are more prone to use drugs or alcohol and are more vulnerable to addiction. 

If addiction is a disease, is there a cure?

Not all diseases can be cured, but many incurable diseases are treated symptomatically, meaning that the goal is to live a comfortable daily life with minimal symptoms. Diabetes, congestive heart failure, and asthma are not “cured” but instead treated with medications for symptom reduction. Addiction is similar in that although it cannot be cured, it can be treated with the right combination of therapy approaches and, if necessary, medications. Like other diseases, there is always a risk of relapse. Drinking after being sober for some time is considered a relapse for addiction, whereas an asthma flare-up because of missed medication is considered a relapse for asthma. Some of the most effective treatments for addiction include the following:

• Treatment at an addiction or detox facility such as AKUA Mind and Body specializes in treating withdrawal and addiction.  

• Joining a support group with other people who have shared experiences and can offer emotional support. 

• Attending therapy and working with a licensed therapist to help work through anxiety, depression, or other mental health factors that aggravate addiction. 

• Finding healthy new hobbies and supportive communities and removing yourself from places and people (triggers) who don’t support your journey to sobriety.