Lesson 3 Assignment

There are several various models of addiction, as well as approaches to their recovery. Addiction is different for everyone. For some people, there was a catastrophic emotional event that forced them to turn to drugs or alcohol. For others, a love of partying in their 20’s never went away and spiraled into dependence over the course of several years. Some people have a family history of addiction, while others see themselves as the “black sheep.” You hear stories of individuals who quit for a while on their own, got their lives on track and were then able to drink moderately, but other people enter expensive treatment programs, only to have repeated severe relapses.
Addiction is very different for different people. The cause of an individual's susceptibility toward addiction also varies by the person. Addiction is not a “one size fits all” situation which can be remedied the same way no matter what the circumstances. Each individual case of addiction has its own “quirks”, its own cause, its own weaknesses, strong points, and most of all: recovery. Treatment for addiction should be decided on a case by case basis. The most effective approach for one person's battle with addiction wouldn't necessarily even make a difference on another's struggle. There are numerous models, as addiction is a very complex problem, with countless possible outcomes.

The disease model has been the dominant model of treatment in the United States since the 1960s. In its purest form, the disease model contends that certain individuals have a distinct physical or psychological condition that renders them incapable of drinking or using drugs in moderation. As part of a treatment approach, the disease model endorses working with the individual to “accept” their diagnosis and be persuaded to follow a life of abstinence from alcohol and other mood-altering drugs.
The Moral Model of addiction implies that people have a choice as to their use of substances. The decision of