Addiction Treatments

Addiction Treatments

Introduction

According to latest figures provided by BBC, substance abuse or addiction affect around 2 million people in UK (BBC, 2012). Addiction is a condition or illness that damages the person both physically and mentally. Its consequences can be seen in terms of serious physiological and psychological symptoms that also affect other people and family around the person in a negative manner. Addiction problems are everywhere but, affected people hide it from families until some serious crisis takes place in the life of the person affected by it. According to Wiers and Stacey, people involved in substance abuse are aware of the fact that continued abuse of a certain substance has disadvantages and harmful effects on them. They cannot develop resistance against it. Many researchers have explained this confusing behavioural attitude through automatic cognitive mechanisms of addiction (Wiers & Stacey, 2006, p.292). This widespread epidemic can be found in different forms and is increasing every day. Increased level of stress, depression and anxiety in the present condition are the main factors behind it. Therefore, it is very important to understand what addiction means, its causes, effects and then devise appropriate methods of treatment.

Discussion

What is Addiction?

Wormer and Javis describe addiction as loss of control in substance use or behaviour. Nash has also employed a model for understanding the condition of addiction. They suggest that addiction initiates sense of pleasure and reward circuits, present in the brain(Wormer & Javis, 2012,pp.6). Whenever we ingest or eat something, these reward circuits activate. The nature or reward activation in case of addiction is different from normal behaviour. It is an illness that makes the person dependent on repetitive use of a certain substance that harms the person in terms of physical and mental health. Therefore, misuse and dependence are the two major factors that differentiate between normal behaviour and addiction. For instance APA and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders suggested that the following patterns in behaviour can help in identifying the person's addiction to a particular substance. If, any three or more symptoms occur in 12 month period time then the person is addictive (Wormer & Davis, 2012, pp.6.

1. Repetitive substance use that affects the person's ability to perform his major tasks and duties at work, home or school etc.

2. Repetitive substance use that affects the person's physical abilities to perform basic tasks, like driving etc.

3. Continuous use of substance that interferes with his personal and public relationships, argument with a spouse or fight with co worker etc.

4. Increased tolerance or increased need or requirement to use substance in large quantities. Small amount does not give the same pleasure or result as desired by the person.

5. Usage or dosage of substance increases in terms of period and quantity.

6. No control over substance usage.

7. Avoid social activities to hide the symptoms from others.

8. Affected person waste a lot of time in searching for the substance, its usage and recovering from the ...