General Academic Review of Compulsive Substance Abuse

Compulsive gambling and excessive drinking may be seen as coping mechanisms that individuals use to seek relief from emotional distress, so serving as potent sources of pleasure. As research efforts in the field of addiction psychology continue to expand, the understanding of addiction psychology grows more intricate. According to a study published in Frontiers in Psychology, it is plausible to view addiction as a volitional decision, while still acknowledging the conventional understanding of addiction as a pathological condition. The magazine Pacific Standard presents a compilation of five distinct studies that purport to demonstrate the efficacy of treating addiction as an illness, drawing upon the genetic and physiological underpinnings of addiction. In her work titled "Unbroken Brain," Maia Szalavitz presents a novel perspective on addiction, which posits that it encompasses elements of both the illness model and the moral model. Furthermore, Szalavitz argues that addiction has unique characteristics that warrant the recognition of a separate third model. Maia Szalavitz is an advocate of this emerging perspective. Advocates contend that this approach is the most efficacious strategy for addressing the distinct psychological factors that underlie addiction, as opposed to focusing just on a certain facet of the extensive and heterogeneous range of substance abuse. The process of adopting a new viewpoint is often seen as a lengthy endeavor by several individuals within the medical field. The portrayal of addiction as a human defect and as a medical illness has been subject to criticism. Nevertheless, it is important to note that there exists a divergence of opinions among medical specialists about this matter, which highlights the intricate nature of the psychological factors that underlie addiction. The psychologist Dr. who authored the book Addiction is a Choice. According to the assertions made by Jeffrey A. Schaler, individuals possess a greater degree of agency in governing their actions than they often perceive. In contrast, it is widely asserted by several experts that individuals grappling with addiction experience a genuine lack of control, with this loss of control being seen as a characteristic sign of addiction