Addictions Theory- Theoretical Conceptualization Essay

Addictions Theory- Theoretical Conceptualization - Essay Example Many theories have been developed to explain why people become addicted. Key among them is the disease theory of drug addiction. As aforementioned in the abstract, the key reason why people become addicted is related to the personal choices one makes. It is not by any means as a result of any kind of disease. It is worth noting that in a real disease, there are parts of the body which are usually in a state of physiological dysfunction, and this then causes symptoms which are not desirable. For instance, when it comes to cancer, the mutated cells would be the proof of a physiological abnormality. Looking at diabetes, low insulin production or failure of cells to use the insulin in the right way can be pointed as the physiological malfunctioning that is behind the harmful symptoms. If one has either or both of the aforementioned diseases, one cannot decide to make a choice of stopping the symptoms or opt to end the physiological malfunctioning which generates the symptoms. Such patients can only opt to end the physiological malfunctioning in the body through taking medicine, and in the diabetes case, treatment measures indirectly stops the symptoms. In addiction, there is no existence of physiological dysfunction of the body. The best physical proof fronted by proponents of the disease theory falls completely off the representing measure of a physiological malfunction. This is the widely touted brain scan. The National Institution of Addiction and Drug Abuse (NIDA) is the organization behind fronting the brain cells. NIDA defines addiction as a chronic brain disease which includes compulsive drug use and seeking, inspite of the obvious harmful consequences (NIH Medicine Plus, 2007). That it is regarded as a brain disease since drugs normally alter the brain structure and the way it operates. Such changes to the brain can last for a long time and often lead to the damaging behaviors observed in those people who abuse drugs. NIDA gives an outright