Disease Model for Substance Abuse Treatment
Elements of the disease model of addiction are:
- addiction is a biopsysocial disease
- a genetic predisposition to the disease has been proven
- tolerance to drug is built up
- addicts and alcoholics who have family histories of addiction show more antisocial behavior
- psychological addiction occurs before physical addiction and is present long after detoxification
Elements of psychological addiction are as follows:
- psychological primacy—the need to get drugs is the most important thing in life. It is survival.
- Self doubt—being able to function is not possible without drugs
- Relationship to the drug—life is not worthwhile without the drug
- Inability to abstain—cannot stop using the drug caused by cravings, preoccupation with the drug, remembering how good it felt and feelings of frustration and depression when not using
- Inability to control the amount used
Additional elements of the disease model are personality changes and conflicted behavior.