Sample Solution

Is addiction a disease or choice? Addiction itself is often misunderstood. Some people argue that it is a personal choice, and therefore anyone who is addicted to a substance has ended up there because of the lack of self-discipline or morality. Meanwhile others argue addiction is a disease, and as a result cannot be cured entirely or even resisted by discipline alone. The first view has been the most common understanding of addiction throughout history, and as a result there is a stigma surrounding people who struggle with drug abuse that often prevents them from willingly seeking help. While an addiction may begin from an individual’s personal choice, addiction itself is a mental disease rather than a continued choice. The reason for this comes from three key points regarding how addiction affects an addict. The first of which is that a mental disease alters an individual’s brain and impacts their ability to function normally, and the second is that instead of returning to “normal” after treatment, a recovered individual will have to consciously work toward remaining sober each day, as relapse is always a possibility.