Models of Addiction

At a Glance -

1) Moral Model: Alcohol or drug use is a choice; addiction is a symptom of moral deficiency and/or lack of willpower.

2) Sociocultural Models: Cultural, ethnic, religious and environmental conditions are casual factors in addiction.

3) Psychological Models: Addiction is a secondary symptom of underlying psychological disorders. Alcohol or drug use is learned and reinforced behavior.

4) Disease Model: Addiction is a primary, chronic, and progressive disease, probably caused by a genetic predisposition.

5) Biopsychosocial Model: Addiction is the result of multiple, interacting variables, the strength of which vary between individuals.
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Summary -

The moral model is not widely accepted and discourages people from seeking treatment.

Sociocultural and psychological models explain addiction as a result of environmental or personality factors.

The disease model is widely accepted because of its medical orientation and because abstinence is logically related to this model.

The disease model has helped to reduce the stigma of addiction and has enlisted the support of the medical community in treatment.

A disadvantage of the disease model is that some addicts blame their behavior on the "disease."

The biopsychosocial model incorporates all the relevant variables in the etiology and treatment of addiction.