Psychological Models of Addiction

You can help people make their own decisions (self-efficacy) and advocate for services to improve the lives of people who use substances and live with SUDs. The moral model suggests using a substance is a moral failing which will lead to a path of destruction. It views people who use substances as having a choice to use substances and judges them for using the substances. There are many theories that hope to explain why individuals use and abuse substances. Theories can also help with interventions, treatment, prevention, relapse and recovery. As we conclude, let’s remember that behind every statistic, every theory, and every model, there are real people with real struggles.

Integrated models of addiction

• It’s like a mobile hanging above a baby’s crib – touch one piece, and the whole thing moves.
• The temperance model has evolved over time, and modern treatment approaches now recognize that individualized approaches are essential for successful recovery.
• Overcoming addiction often requires a continuum of care tailored to individual needs.
• And social scientists are exploring innovative ways to leverage social support and address societal factors contributing to addiction.
• Given enough time and repetition, the result is that you begin to crave cigarettes whenever you get in the car.

Social factors can significantly influence the development and perpetuation of addiction. The social model of addiction recognizes the impact of social and environmental influences on addictive behaviors. It emphasizes the importance of socialization, peer pressure, family dynamics, and cultural norms in shaping substance use patterns. The Social Model posits that individuals are more likely to develop addiction when they are exposed to environments that promote substance use or addictive behaviors. This can include exposure to substance-using peers, living in communities with high rates of substance use or easy access to drugs, or experiencing social stressors such as poverty, discrimination, or social isolation. The Social Model also highlights the role of cultural factors, such as societal attitudes towards substance use and addiction, in shaping an individual’s behavior and vulnerability to addiction.

It’s not enough to have a genetic vulnerability to addiction; environmental factors often need to be present to “activate” these genetic predispositions. This interplay helps explain why two siblings with similar genetic makeup might have very different experiences with substance use. The social learning model also highlights the importance of expectations and beliefs about substance use. If someone believes that drugs will make them more confident or help them cope with stress, they’re more likely to use them. These expectations are often shaped by media portrayals, peer influences, and cultural norms surrounding substance use. Psychodynamic theorists argue that addicts often use substances as a way to cope with uncomfortable emotions or to fulfill unmet needs.

Moral Model of Addiction

Dopamine signals to the brain that something good is happening, motivating us to repeat the behavior. Addictive substances and behaviors hijack this reward system, causing the brain to release dopamine in much more significant amounts than usual. This intense pleasure surge creates an influential memory association between the addictive substance or behavior and the feeling of reward. This information processing framework not only has tremendous implications for how individuals function when taking psychotropic substances, but also how they often have to re-learn many things once they enter into recovery or quit using after a period of regular use. For example, researchers have found a robust association between trauma and addiction (Dube et al., 2002, 2003; Giordano et al., 2016).

Other Psychological Models of Addiction

When we use classical conditioning in the field of substance use disorders, we examine the relationship between the substance use and its connection with the environment. Different cultures have varying attitudes towards substance use, which can significantly impact addiction patterns. For example, in some cultures, heavy drinking might be seen as a sign of masculinity, while in others, it’s strongly taboo. These cultural norms can act as either protective factors or risk factors for addiction development.

Moral Model

Our environment, culture, and social circles all play a role in shaping our relationship with substances and potentially addictive behaviors. Well, picture yourself as a doctor faced with a patient struggling with addiction. Without a comprehensive understanding of the various factors at play, you’d be like a sailor without a compass, adrift in a sea of symptoms and behaviors. Addiction theories provide that compass, guiding treatment approaches and informing public policy. The reward deficiency syndrome (RDS) hypothesis presents another intriguing perspective. This model suggests that some individuals may be more prone to addiction due to a genetic predisposition that results in an underactive reward system.

Such ongoing substance use may mean moderating use of a primary problem substance or abstaining from one or more substances while continuing the use of others (e.g., abstaining from opioids while consuming cannabis). There are a variety of psychological approaches that help us understand behaviours, treatment, and recovery. For example, helpers may look at how and why the behaviour is maintained; they may also engage in understanding the behaviours that are happening while a person is under the influence of a substance (24).

Trauma and Life Stressors

This estimate of harmfulness represents an expectancy related to using these substances in the described patterns. As we step back and survey the landscape of psychological models of addiction, it becomes clear that no single theory can fully capture the complexity of this pervasive issue. Each model offers a unique perspective, like different instruments in an orchestra, Sober House Rules: What You Should Know Before Moving In each contributing its own melody to the overall symphony of understanding.

What is more, it can sensitize the stress response system so that it overresponds to minimal levels of threat, making people feel easily overwhelmed by life’s normal difficulties. Research shows a strong link between ACEs and opioid drug abuse as well as alcoholism. Research has consistently demonstrated the impact of social, cultural, and environmental factors on addiction. For example, studies have shown that individuals who grow up in households or communities with high rates of substance use are more likely to develop addiction themselves.

People with addiction were often stigmatized and judged as being morally deficient, leading to punitive measures and marginalization. This model has been influential in shaping the “war on drugs” policies and the criminalization of substance use, which prioritize punishment over treatment and support for individuals with addiction. While dopamine plays a central role in addiction, other brain chemicals are also involved. For example, glutamate is involved in learning and memory, and GABA is a calming neurotransmitter. Addictive substances can disrupt the balance of these chemicals, which can contribute to the symptoms of addiction.

Contact us today to learn more about our programs and how we can help you or your loved one on the road to recovery. As the effects of the addictive substance or behavior wear off, the brain goes into a state of withdrawal. This results in several unpleasant symptoms, such as anxiety, restlessness, and irritability. These withdrawal symptoms can be very intense and drive the person to use the substance or engage in the behavior again to relieve the discomfort.

• Nevertheless, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 14.6 million U.S. adults over the age of 18 have alcohol use disorder, marked by uncontrolled drinking.
• While the Moral Model acknowledges the role of personal choice in addiction, it has been widely criticized for oversimplifying the complex nature of addictive behaviors.
• The research indicates yes; remembering it is one risk factor and does not mean it WILL lead to a substance use disorder.
• It’s important to remember that social and environmental factors interact with biological vulnerabilities.
• The powerful grip of addiction stems from its effects on the brain’s reward and motivation systems.
• Prolonged stress during childhood dysregulates the normal stress response and, through overproduction of cortisol, is especially harmful to the brain’s hippocampus, impairing memory and learning.

Sample and sampling method

These tiny messengers play a crucial role in addiction development, with substances like dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine taking the lead. It’s as if these neurotransmitters are throwing a wild party in your brain, and drugs are the uninvited guests who refuse to leave. By grasping these models, you’re better equipped to comprehend addiction’s complexity and support evidence-based interventions. Remember, no single model fully explains addiction, but together, they offer a comprehensive view https://northiowatoday.com/2025/01/27/sober-house-rules-what-you-should-know-before-moving-in/ of this challenging issue. Your understanding can make a difference in addressing this critical public health concern. It accounts for the myriad forces that can contribute to addictive behaviors developing and persisting.

For example, environmental factors such as family and social relationships are more strongly tied to use of alcohol and nicotine in adolescence than later in life. Research has shown that spirituality can play a significant role in addiction recovery, with many individuals reporting that their spiritual beliefs or practices have been instrumental in their ability to overcome addiction. The Spiritual Model is grounded in the belief that addiction can be understood as a manifestation of existential concerns, such as the search for meaning, purpose, and connection. These concerns are often exacerbated by experiences of disconnection, isolation, or emptiness, which can drive individuals to seek solace in substances or addictive behaviors. By addressing these underlying spiritual and existential issues, the Spiritual Model suggests that individuals can find healing and recovery from addiction.

• Alcohol in some form is widely used for pleasurable purposes and is an important part of the social fabric worldwide, today as in ancient times.
• Each framework provides a unique lens through which we can view this multifaceted issue, offering insights that can inform prevention strategies, treatment approaches, and public policy.
• This is because, as the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) shows, addiction is a complicated puzzle.
• Learning theories represent one set of psychological principles that have had a strong influence on our understanding of the causes of addiction, as well as informing some of our intervention strategies.

There are many risk factors for addiction, from individual factors such as stress tolerance and personality makeup to social factors such as friendships and educational and job opportunities. But what addiction may come down to for everyone is the emotional and physical appeal of a substance at a particular moment in a person’s life. The effects of drugs are pleasurable and rewarding only in relation to how a person feels emotionally and physically in the context of his or her relationships and social life and other opportunities for development and reward.

Given enough time and repetition, the result is that you begin to crave cigarettes whenever you get in the car. Reach out to us today by calling us or scheduling a conversation at a time that works for you. Cocaine processed so that it can be smoked, it enters the blood stream rapidly and produces a rapid “rush” of a high; the immediate response becomes powerfully reinforcing, driving the motivation to repeat the experience. These traits are considered the basic dimensions of human personality and can be used to describe a person’s tendencies across different situations. Correlation does not imply causality, however, there are some instances where the self-medication hypothesis can also be applied to these models as causal agents.