Gambling, shopping, and internet addiction are complicated issues that can be difficult to handle owing to a variety of economic and political variables. The financial incentive of firms that encourage addictive behaviors is one economic element that makes it difficult to develop programs to combat behavioral addictions (Van Wormer and Davis 260). The gambling industry, for example, produces billions of dollars in income each year, and they have a strong interest in presenting gaming as harmless entertainment. Similarly, when people spend more time on their devices, the technology sector profits, leading to the creation of social networking platforms, mobile games, and other addictive apps (Van Wormer and Davis 272). These industries frequently push against regulation and preventive activities that may affect their revenues, so impeding attempts to develop effective addiction treatment programs.
Another economic problem is the scarcity of resources for addiction treatment programs. Behavioral addictions, unlike drug misuse, do not produce physical withdrawal symptoms, and persons with these addictions are less inclined to seek treatment (Van Wormer and Davis 300). As a result, behavioral addiction treatment programs receive less financing, and those that do exist may not receive the same level of support or resources as drug abuse treatment programs.
Political constraints also make it difficult to develop successful programs to combat behavioral addictions. Addiction is frequently stigmatized, and those suffering from behavioral addictions may be perceived as lacking self-control or personal responsibility. This stigma can make obtaining public and political support for funding addiction treatment programs difficult. Moreover, political ideology can impact views regarding addiction and the role of the government in dealing with it. Some conservatives, for example, may claim that addiction is a personal issue that should be treated via personal responsibility rather than government-funded services. Finally, developing successful programs to combat behavioral addictions necessitates addressing economic and political variables that may impede progress. Actions to lower the profit incentive of sectors that encourage addictive behaviors, enhance financing for addiction treatment programs, and remove the stigma associated with addiction can all help to improve addiction treatment results.
Work Cited
S., Van Wormer Katherine, and Diane Rae Davis. Gambling, Eating Disorders, Shopping and Other Behavioral Addictions. In Addiction Treatment: A Strengths Perspective (pp. 255–309). Cengage Learning, 2018.