Addiction: Is it a Choice or a Disease? (Essay Sample)

Addiction: Is it a Choice or a Disease
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Addiction: Is it a Choice or a Disease
Addiction is a condition involving continued engagement in the use of something or a behavior whose outcome offers a compelling enticement or craving to recurrently take part in it despite the negative effects. This could involve the consumption of such substances as alcohol, caffeine, heroine, food, or behaviors like betting, shopping, or sex (Robbins & Clark, 2015). In the modern world, drugs can be accessed from anywhere, and most people from all walks of life are doing them. Due to the availability of drugs and other addictive activities, many people are lured by the excitement and escape offered by their consumption. According to Berridge (2017), both forms of addiction have a high prospect of being complemented with psychological conditions such as depression. The idea of addiction as a choice or disease is a widely controversial and debated subject. While some researchers would argue that the consequences of addiction are a result of a person’s choices and weak will, others support the idea that addiction is a disease. This paper argues that addiction is a disease and utilizes various research sources to support this stance, while dismissing the idea that addiction is a choice.
Addiction as a Choice
The big question on addiction is why some researchers are of the belief that addiction is a choice instead of a disease. In order to establish a strong basis for our argument, it is important to look at how the opponents think about the addiction controversial debate. These people argue that addiction is a matter of weak will. When someone decides to be addicted to a substance or behavior, they choose not to end the consumption or activity. This means that addiction cannot be forced on anyone and its upon them to seek help or opt for self-medication which involves the effort to enhance oneself for their own