When people who abuse substances are marginalized, they tend not to seek access to mainstream institutions that typically provide sociocultural support (Myers et al. 2009). A marginalized person’s behavior is seen as abnormal even if he or she attempts to act differently, thus further reducing the chances of any attempt to change behavior (Cohen 1992). The drug culture enables its members to view substance use disorders as normal or even as status symbols. The disorder becomes a source of pride, and people may celebrate their drug-related identity with other members of the culture (Pearson and Bourgois 1995; White 1996).
Importance of understanding the model
The importance of the drug culture to the person using drugs often increases with time as the person’s association with it deepens (Moshier et al. 2012). White (1996) notes that as a person progresses from experimentation to abuse and/or dependence, he or she develops a more intense need to “seek for supports to sustain the drug relationship” (p. 9). In addition to gaining social sanction for their substance use, participants in the drug culture learn many skills that can help them avoid the pitfalls of the substance-abusing lifestyle and thus continue their use. They learn how to avoid arrest, how to get money to support their habit, and how to find a new supplier when necessary. The biopsychosocial model emphasizes the interaction of biological, psychological, and social factors. Biology includes genetics and brain chemistry, while psychology examines an individual’s thoughts, emotions, and coping mechanisms.
Personality Theories in Addiction
While the availability https://northiowatoday.com/2025/01/27/sober-house-rules-what-you-should-know-before-moving-in/ of MOUD has increased, 81.7% of people with opioid use disorder (OUD) aged 12 and older in 2022 had not received treatment in the past year 4. Rural areas have particularly struggled with fewer treatment options and a growing number of patients in need of services 5,6,7. The Vermont Department of Health reported a 500% increase in drug overdose related deaths with at least 79% involving one or more opioids between 2010 and 2022.
The multifaceted disorder needs a multifaceted conceptualization, and we find that in the biopsychosocial model of addiction (Marlatt & Baer, 1988). Rather than pinpoint the one thing that causes addiction, we now understand that a constellation of factors contributes to a person being more or less at risk for addiction. A client can meet the psychosocial needs previously satisfied by the drug culture in a number of ways. Strengthening cultural identity can be a positive action for the client; in some cases, the client’s family or cultural peers can serve as a replacement for involvement in the drug culture.
Biological Dimension
However the rapid developments in neuroscience are moving bio-psychiatry away from the mind, and towards actions in the brain. Mind once was the place of mediation between person and situation, between the biological and the social. How these advances will impact the ethical relationship between our brains and our selves in addiction, is yet to be seen. The Biopsychosocial Model of Addiction recognizes that there is not one single factor that can explain why some people are able to use substances without progressing to addiction. Instead, the Biopsychosocial Model of Addiction focuses on the environmental, biological, psychological, psychological, cultural, cognitive, social, and genetic factors that interact to produce substance misuse among individuals (Skewes & Gonzalez, 2013).
1. Psychoactive Substances and Addiction
- For instance, someone with a genetic predisposition to addiction may be more likely to develop an addiction if they also experience significant childhood trauma.
- So, how does all this theoretical knowledge translate into practical treatment approaches?
- They can likewise find a sense of purpose they otherwise lack in the daily need to seek out and acquire drugs.
- Addiction tends to run in families, and certain types of genes have been linked to different forms of addiction.
- When we look at the psychological dimension, it also allows us to understand and work more effectively in helping individuals, families and communities thrive and flourish in a positive way.
It may further challenge understandings of “accepted” identities, such as health seeking and rational, as opposed to “contested” identities, such as addict, intoxicated, and at-risk (Fry 2008). The latter may compromise an individual’s sense and experience of free will, being-in-the-world, perceptions of personal responsibility, and view abnormalities in dopamine pathways as fatalistic. This might involve medication to address biological aspects, therapy for psychological issues, and social support interventions. Today, clinicians use a variety of tools to evaluate biological, psychological, and social factors.
Genetic and Neurobiological Factors
This model provides a holistic framework for exploring the causes, progression, and treatment of addiction. We argue therefore for a biopsychosocial systems model of, and approach to, addiction in which psychological and sociological factors complement and are in a dynamic interplay with neurobiological and genetic factors. As Hyman (2007) has written, “neuroscience does not obviate the need for social and psychological level explanations intervening between the levels of cells, synapses, and circuits and that of ethical judgments” (p.8). This provides a foundation for a better understanding of how harmful substance use emerged and what can be done to shift their unhealthy patterns (Florin & Trytek, n.d.). The holistic and well-rounded approach to understanding both the causes of addictive disorders and the best substance abuse treatment is seen in the Biopsychosocial Model of Addiction (Florin & Trytek, n.d.).
Family and Home Life
This holistic concept allows us to consider a range of factors that influence the development and maintenance of addictive behavior. It is important to note substance use disorders/addiction do not often have a one-specific cause. Using all these theories may help you understand the complexity of substance use and why one theory/lens is generally not enough. Over time, the brain adapts to these repeated dopamine surges by reducing its dopamine production and decreasing the number of dopamine receptors. This means that the person needs more and more of the addictive substance or behavior to experience the same level of pleasure. Personality theories suggest certain personality traits, like impulsivity or risk-taking, can make someone more prone to addiction.
Patients reported not being informed until the end of their pregnancies about the effect that MOUD could have on their babies. They felt fear and guilt for their infants possibly having side effects, including withdrawals. Additionally, there was a report of a patient requesting a counselor of a specific gender that was originally guaranteed by clinics, but not respected in practice. “There’s just something about being in-person where you’re kind of more, through body language and facial expressions and everything. It’s just kind of a more intimate process…And also for me, one really important component is, it’s just really good for me to have reasons to get out of the house and be around people because I’m very isolated. I live alone and have no social sober house life at this point and I’m very inactive.” (P15; +).