The Addiction Debate: Choice or Disease?

Abstract

Many believe that addiction is a conscious choice, and that everyone who is hooked on a substance is there due to a lack of self-discipline or morals. Others contend, however, that because addiction is a sickness, it cannot be fully treated or even resisted with strict discipline. The first perspective has historically been the most prevalent understanding of addiction, and as a result, there is stigma attached to those who battle with substance usage, which frequently discourages individuals from voluntarily seeking assistance. The nature of addiction has recently become a prominent topic of debate among experts and the general public due to recent research conducted over the past few decades that has provided data to challenge that concept. Is addiction a decision that a person makes and keeps making, or is it an illness that wreaks havoc on their brain and eliminates choice from the picture? Which side prevails in the debate over addiction is the primary objective of this research.