In order to understand how best to treat addiction, it is important to know how to classify it. Many people want to know, “Is addiction a disease?” The answer, in short, is a resounding yes. Find out why addiction is undeniably a disease, not a choice.
Genetic Factors Reinforce the Disease Model of Addiction
One of the most interesting things explaining that addiction is a disease is the genetic component. There are biological reasons why some people become addicted and others do not.
Without the genetic factors, it might appear that addiction is a choice, a defect or a flaw. Of course, we know that addiction is largely based on genetic factors. Addiction runs in families, and there are biological reasons why two people can both try drugs or drink alcohol, but only one will become addicted.
If some people are essentially programmed to be more likely to struggle with addiction, they are carrying genes that make addiction more probable. This might be similar to someone with a family history of heart disease or breast cancer. It increases their chances of contracting a similar disease. This showcases how addiction simply isn’t a choice, but a diagnosable illness.
Addiction Can Alter the Brain
Struggling with an addiction to drugs or alcohol is not something that comes without consequences. Of note is the fact that addiction can alter the way the brain functions. This is comparable to other diseases that might impact the way that the liver, heart, kidneys or lungs function.
>When addiction takes hold, it actually changes the way that the brain’s reward system operates. Normal amounts of dopamine might no longer register, causing individuals to seek out larger and larger amounts in the form of addictive substances. To change this requires treatment, often in the form of an affordable detox. If it changes the function of part of the body, and it requires treatment to resolve, then addiction can definitely be called a disease.
Is Addiction a Disease? The Medical Industry Says Yes
Individuals can look to the medical and insurance industries to help determine whether addiction is a disease. The Affordable Care Act now includes addiction and substance abuse as one of the pillars of essential health. This means that it is classified as a disease and included under insurance plans.
Most medical professionals, treatment centers and insurance companies will overwhelmingly agree that addiction has to be treated like a disease. Simply choosing to get sober isn’t enough, and treatment is necessary.
It is normal to ask, “Is addiction a disease?” The answer is yes, and lots of medical research supports that. At Serenity House Detox & Recovery, the right treatment can combat the disease of addiction with success. Call 866-294-5306 now to start on the road to recovery from addiction.
