Addiction has been around since centuries and is a human condition which has been observed and studied since a long time. The word addict has Latin roots: ‘addictus’ meaning “to devote, sacrifice, sell out, betray or abandon.” However, addiction was first used in terms of its modern significance in the Eighteenth century and it meant “the compulsion and need to continue taking a drug.” Mind altering substances have been used throughout history even in religious rituals and traditions.
Just as the terminology has evolved overtime, the understanding of addiction has also changed drastically with major work happening in the field of psychiatry in the last few decades. Earlier, addiction was viewed as a moral failing or a lack of will power and this view has prevailed even today in terms of the stigma around addiction. Addicts were seen as deviant members of society, wreaking havoc and causing pain voluntarily to themselves and those around them. In many places, they were viewed in the second light as criminals. This meant that to overcome addiction, one would have to repeatedly suppress the compulsive need to indulge in substances. Many people, even now, believe that they can quit their substance through will power alone.
Overtime, with the aid of empirical (evidence-based) research, the scientific understanding of addiction has progressed. Addiction is recognized as a disease or a mental disorder which is more complex than just a simplistic view of moral failure. While there are numerous models and theories about addiction, the most commonly accepted model in the field of addiction is the Biopsychosocial Model.
What is the Biopsychosocial modelof Addiction?
According to the biopsychosocial model of addiction, there are multiple factors which are responsible for a dependency on a substance. Described by Engel in the 1970s for mental illnesses, this model has been applied to addiction as well. It is a progression from the traditional biomedical model which does not account for the complex cultural and individual factors in play.
These factors are divided into three general factors:
Biological factors
It has been known for quite a while that an individual who has a family history of addiction is more susceptible to developing addiction himself. Genetics, thus play an important role in addiction. Though it is not necessary that every child born in a family with addiction history will become an addict. But it predisposes or increases the risk for addiction. Other biological factors involve the physical health, immunity, gender, age, neurochemistry, etc. The biological factors is also based in chemical imbalances and parts of the brain that are more or less active. This factor also addresses the withdrawal, symptoms and cravings from a physiological point of view.
Psychological factors
These are the various psychological factors which play a role in the development of addiction such as one’s judgment, self esteem, decision-making skills, problem solving skills, reasoning and also the patterns of thought, emotion and behavior that have formed. For instance, if someone has a family history of addiction, coupled with patterns of anxious thinking and poor emotional regulation, they may be more at risk for developing addiction. Addiction thrives when there is vulnerability to psychological issues such as depression, neurotic as well as negative thinking, poor emotional regulation and so on.
Social factors
The role played by social factors when it comes to addiction, is an important one. There are many factors which influence the way people begin and sustain their dependency on the substance. Some of the important social factors are one’s parenting, early childhood experiences, peer influences, family environment, accessibility of drugs or alcohol, economic issues, other complex social issues such as living in a neighborhood with high crime rate, level of education, employment opportunities, etc. For instance, living in a physically, verbally or emotionally abusive relationship with a significant other may be a major risk factor for substance abuse.
These three factors work together in the development of addiction. In order to design an efficient treatment program, we need to understand the different factors unique to the person that have led to their addiction.
Treatment in addiction based on the Biopsychosocial model
Many rehabilition centers across the world have started to see the value of the application of this model in their treatment programs. Our organization, ZorbaWellness, also focuses on this model and implements it in the treatment approach. It is obvious that certain factors can be beyond an individual’s control such as their genetic vulnerability, physical issues, certain social factors such as one’s upbringing, economic limitations, etc. However, identifying and working on the factors that are at play is a very beneficial for a long lasting and healthy recovery. In regards to this model, our aim at ZorbaWellness is two-fold: 1)To understand what psychological and social needs one has that aren’t being fulfilled and how to best help them fulfill those needs by themselves is imperative. 2) In addition to that, building one’s coping and resilience in the face of unmet needs and challenges in life is also a part of the treatment program.
Here are some of the factors from the Biopsychosocial model that our treatment program at ZorbaWellness focuses on:
Biological:
- Withdrawal management
- Detoxification
- Regulating sleep and appetite
- Focus on nutrition
- Focus on physical health care though exercise and yoga
Psychological
- Building motivation
- Emotional regulation
- Building impulse control
- Improving self esteem
- Assertiveness training
- Modifying automatic negative thinking
- Increasing interpersonal effectiveness
- Building coping skills
- Stress management
- Mindfulness training
Social
- Seeking social support
- Improving empathetic listening
- Codependency counselling for family and loved ones as well as the client
- Cultivating acceptance and compassion
- Reducing emotional reactivity
- Communication skills
- Increasing observational learning
- Conflict resolution
Using this approach has yielded good results as it employs a holistic approach to treatment. People have come to terms with the things that they can change about their life and things they can’t. And more importantly, ‘how’ to change those things and how to accept when you can’t. This approach ensures that an individual does not source their recovery from just one area of their life. They base their recovery on multiple factors so that at times when one of the areas of life are not optimal, they always have something to fall back on. We believe that no-one is beyond rehabilition. Everyone is capable of change and every individual deserves a chance to get better, to live a life enjoying the fruits of recovery.