Addiction to substances can develop as a result of several factors, and researchers have tried to explain this occurrence via different approaches. There are several theories that explain the nature of addiction and its development. The biological perspective implies that genetics and brain chemistry alterations are predisposing people to addiction. Psychological theories examine the impulsive and compulsive behaviors applicable to substance use. Sociologists look at the environment that people live in to find factors that make substance use acceptable. This paper will explain the biological, psychological, and sociological theories’ explanations of substance use and discuss operant conditioning as a way of comprehending this deviant behavior.
Under the biological theory, there are two primary explanations of addiction: the genetic predisposition and the changes in the brain’s chemistry as a result of prolonged drug administration. Hence, this theory implies that some individuals inherit a predisposition to developing a drug addiction (Cavaiola & Smith, 2020). However, Cavaiola and Smith (2020) warn that although numerous family cluster studies have shown the increased likelihood of substance abuse or dependence within a family, it is difficult to make a distinction between environmental factors and genetics. This is because families, for example, siblings or parents, typically live in the same environment and are affected by the same social factors, which may also predispose them to substance abuse. This nuance is the overlap between the social and biological theories of addiction. Regardless, evidence shows that some genetic factors play a role in the likelihood of having alcohol or substance abuse.
Another biological element that can explain the development of dependence on drugs is neuroadaptation. This theory suggests that if a person intakes drugs for prolonged periods of time, their brain chemistry changes, prompting them to intake more, which is how addiction develops (Cavaiola & Smith, 2020). Once a person intakes drugs, their brain releases dopamine and tries to mitigate the effect of this substance on them. If one seizes to use these drugs, the brain’s homeostasis is disturbed as it already adapted to responding to a substance as a stimulus, which causes the withdrawal symptoms. This biological concept focuses more on the issue of repeated drug use that eventually causes addiction.
Under the sociological approach, the social environment causes a person to develop substance abuse. One explanation for this may be cultural level control and peer influence (Cavaiola & Smith, 2020). The first concept suggests that different groups of people have varied standards of acceptable behavior, and for some, using drugs or abusing alcohol may be the norm. Peer influence is the effect that the behavior of others, such as colleagues, fellow students, or neighbors, has on an individual. For example, if the majority of college students on campus drink alcohol, a junior may feel alienated if they do not. Hence, they begin to use alcohol as a way of developing a connection with their peers.
The family, neighborhood, and peer environments play a role in the way a person perceives alcohol and drugs. Moreover, Cavaiola and Smith (2020) argue that other social factors, such as poverty or exposure to racism, can also affect the likelihood of an individual developing a substance addiction. The social learning theory suggests that as an individual grows, they learn the cultural norms from their environment and their perceptions of acceptable behaviors are shaped by it as well. Hence, if predisposed to unfavorable conditions, an individual may develop a substance abuse disorder.
From a psychological perspective, substance abuse may be a result of other psychological disorders. For example, impulsive or compulsive behaviors are associated with higher chances of drug dependence (Cavaiola & Smith, 2020). The implication is that people who are more likely to develop an addiction have difficulty controlling their impulses. Hence, even if they understand the issue of drug dependence and the problems associated with it, they cannot stop even if they consciously understand that a substance is harmful. Impulsive behaviors are actions that are not premeditated and undesired for an individual, which they still complete (The Farm Rehab, 2018). A common issue that people with impulsive disorders face is substance abuse. Therefore, one element of the psychological approach to addiction is the lack of impulse control.
Apart from impulsive and compulsive behaviors, psychology researchers have put forward several other theories explaining addiction. For example, the “self-medication hypothesis, Self-Psychology, Attachment Theory, and Trauma theory” all explain how traumatic experiences or lack of support from a caregiver shape a person’s psyche in a way where addiction is acceptable (Cavaiola & Smith, 2020, p. 15). Moreover, the developments of Freud in psychoanalysis have been used to explain addiction and treat it. The underlying premise of this is that one’s trauma from childhood shapes how adults cope with problems (The Department of Health, n.d.). In some cases, this trauma makes it impossible to deal with issues and results in maladaptive behaviors, such as the use of alcohol or other substances.
A theory that offers a good explanation to why individuals would choose to intake drugs is operant conditioning. This approach combines the psychological and sociological theories discussed above. Under operant conditioning, an individual’s behavior is a result of them learning something and seeing the cause and effect of their actions (Horvath et al., n.d.). For example, a child seeing adults drinking alcohol may learn that this behavior is acceptable. If they begin to drink alcohol and do not face any negative consequences for it, the effect of their actions will be positive, and hence this behavior will become habitual. Alternatively, genetics may predispose one to substance abuse, and under operant conditioning, with no negative consequences, the individual will continue using drugs. Consequently, the individual will continue using drugs. Moreover, according to Horwarth et al. (n.d.), “addiction is a learned behavior because the initial pleasure or enjoyment was rewarding” (para. 2). Hence, if the substance in question is not pleasurable to a person in the first place, they do not face a risk of addiction. However, most substances, such as alcohol, are either manufactured to taste good or offer a rewarding experience. These rewards cause a behavior to be learned more quickly. Thus, operant conditioning helps explain how certain predispositions to substance abuse and the rewarding nature of these substances result in addiction.
In summary, this paper focuses on the different theoretical approaches to viewing racism. From a biological perspective, genetics can impact the way a person reacts to alcohol or drugs and increase their chances of developing an addiction. Next, from a social perspective, the environment where a person lives, such as their family or peers, shapes the former’s attitudes towards drugs and substance abuse. Finally, the psychological theory approaches the impulsive and compulsive behaviors linked to substances. The operant conditioning concept shows how the cause and effect may shape deviant behaviors such as substance use if an individual’s actions do not result in harmful consequences.
References
Cavaiola, A. A. & Smith, M. (2020). A comprehensive guide to addiction theory and counseling techniques. Routledge.
The Department of Health. (n.d.). 3.4 Models that help us understand AOD use in society. Web.
The Farm Rehab. (2018). Impulsive and compulsive behavior. Web.
Horvath, T., Kaushik, M., Epner, A., & Morgan, G. (n.d.). Operant conditioning and addiction. Gulf Blend Center. Web.