Addiction: Between Disease and Moral Responsibility

Abstract

In most interpretations, addiction has been conceptualized in medical terms as a chronic brain disease. Although it has made positive contributions, this model has not been without its critics, as it has failed to yield treatments with conclusive results and presents a reductionist view of addiction, focusing exclusively on neurological mechanisms. Most researchers believe that addiction represents a complex interaction of biological, psychological, social, and spiritual factors rather than the result of changes in the brain, and the brain disease model tends to disregard these factors. In contrast to the brain disease model, several other models have been proposed in an effort to better explain what addictions are and how they can be effectively addressed. The moral model, based on the premise that addiction is more a matter of personal choice than a brain disease, appears to be diametrically opposed to the brain disease model. This article seeks to present both models in relation to moral responsibility. While the disease model tends to exclude factors related to responsibility, the moral model encourages the assumption of responsibility, particularly in the choice to commit to recovery from addiction.

KEYWORDS: Addiction, Disease Model, Moral Responsibility, Choice Model