Addiction: Disease Or Moral Deficiency

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Addiction: A Disease or a Moral Deficiency? There are several models that have been developed to explain drug use and its associated problems such as addiction. The most dominant models are: moral model; disease model; pharmacological model or social control model; and the social learning model. This article, however, focuses on the explanation of addiction on account of disease model or moral deficiency. Moral model gives a plausible explanation for addiction. For instance it explains the effectiveness of rewarding non-addictive behaviors as an approach for tackling addiction. Although it stresses on accountability, it points out that addicts should be treated with compassion as other members of the society. The problems associated with addiction affects the individuals, their loved ones, as well as the society as a whole. Addicts are also considered as agents who promote addictive behaviors. On the other hand, this article also presents criticism against the disease model in its explanation of addiction. By absolving addicts from there responsibility it lays foundation for the propagation of addiction and the underestimation of the related problems. This model was developed in the 1800s in Victorian England. It posits that those addicted to alcohol or other drugs are weak-minded, are morally deficient, or wanting in character. The development of this model was preceded by a period of rampant socio-economic problems such as poverty, homelessness, and child neglect during the Industrial Revolution in major towns. It was also a time when the sale of rum and gin was rife in London. In an attempt to dissociate themselves from irresponsible behaviors associated with alcohol and other drug abuse, the middle class quickly pointed out that addiction was a sign of moral weakness only common amongst the lower classes. They argued that the lower classes were deficient in
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