The Mysterious Nature Of Addiction

The Mysterious Nature of AddictionHayley Grace PartridgeBaker College OnlineCOM1010 – Composition and Critical Thinking IAllison MarkFebruary 11, 2023The Mysterious Nature of AddictionAddiction is complex and often misunderstood. Many researchers interested in addiction believe that addiction is a brain disease – a chronic relapsing disorder – supporting these claims with neurological findings. Others disagree and believe addiction is a disorder of choice or a moral failing. The debate on the nature of addiction encompasses various models attempting to explain it as either a brain disease, a moral decline, or a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors.BackgroundAddiction affects people of all ages, genders, and cultures; it does not discriminate. Substance abuse has cost Americans more than $700 billion in healthcare costs annually (Volkow, 2019). The United States has had more than 90,000 deaths related to substance abuse each year – a significant reason scientists have tried to understand the nature of addiction. In the 1930s, scientists began studying addictive behavior, and it was believed that people with addiction were morally flawed and lacking willpower (Volkow,