In the HBO documentary video, Dr. Mark Willenbring, the former Director of Treatment and Recovery Research at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, discusses many concepts related to alcohol use disorder. First, he identifies the components that play an important role in the development of addiction. Next, he describes the options that are available to treat alcohol dependence and what are the characteristics of an effective therapy. In the last part of the video, Dr. Willenbring outlines some of the difficulties that people with addiction problem may encounter when seeking treatment.
Dr. Willenbring claims that family history is the strongest predictor of the alcohol use disorder. He points out that it was found that …show more content…
I think many people still believe that an addiction is a type of an autoimmune disease, and some individuals are simply born with it, or inherit it. However, it is important to remember that it not the condition that people transfer between the generations, but the susceptibility to this illness. One is not born as an addict, because there is no such thing as one “alcoholism gene”. There is evidence that addictions appear to be caused by the interaction of different genes in a person’s DNA, that might increase or decrease one’s propensity for addiction (WHO, 2004). For example, certain genes may amply the risk of developing mental illness, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, or personality disorders, which are common conditions co-occurring with addiction. Additionally, people with psychiatric conditions are more likely to use addictive substances as a way of relieving stress and coping with difficult …show more content…
I believe that other factors, such as individual characteristics, environmental, psychological, and sociocultural factors play important role in the etiology of addiction. A significant link has been shown between the addiction and family psychopathology, socioeconomic status, parental styles, interactional patterns, and violence in the family. In some European countries, consumption of alcohol is entrenched in the family traditions and customs, making this substance easily available. We cannot ignore the power of the peer pressure, especially in the adolescence years, that are marked by psychological, cognitive, biological, and social-behavioral changes. As Dr. Willenbring said, the use of psychoactive substances and increased drinking by teenagers increases the vulnerability to addiction and later
Dr. Willenbring claims that family history is the strongest predictor of the alcohol use disorder. He points out that it was found that …show more content…
I think many people still believe that an addiction is a type of an autoimmune disease, and some individuals are simply born with it, or inherit it. However, it is important to remember that it not the condition that people transfer between the generations, but the susceptibility to this illness. One is not born as an addict, because there is no such thing as one “alcoholism gene”. There is evidence that addictions appear to be caused by the interaction of different genes in a person’s DNA, that might increase or decrease one’s propensity for addiction (WHO, 2004). For example, certain genes may amply the risk of developing mental illness, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, or personality disorders, which are common conditions co-occurring with addiction. Additionally, people with psychiatric conditions are more likely to use addictive substances as a way of relieving stress and coping with difficult …show more content…
I believe that other factors, such as individual characteristics, environmental, psychological, and sociocultural factors play important role in the etiology of addiction. A significant link has been shown between the addiction and family psychopathology, socioeconomic status, parental styles, interactional patterns, and violence in the family. In some European countries, consumption of alcohol is entrenched in the family traditions and customs, making this substance easily available. We cannot ignore the power of the peer pressure, especially in the adolescence years, that are marked by psychological, cognitive, biological, and social-behavioral changes. As Dr. Willenbring said, the use of psychoactive substances and increased drinking by teenagers increases the vulnerability to addiction and later