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Sociological Theory of Drug Abuse

In recent years, drug abuse and addiction has been a subject plagued by speculation and myths, especially concerning the cause and nature of the disease (Leshner, 2003). According to the National Institute on Drug Addiction, when science began to study addictive behavior in the 1930s, people addicted to drugs were thought to be morally flawed and lacking in willpower. In addition, many of the causes and effects on society were overlooked in these earlier studies. Research has evolved, however, and so has the information concerning drug addiction and its effects on the brain, behavior and society as a whole.

  1. Effects of Drug Abuse and the Brain

    • Scientific research has concluded that drug abuse significantly affects the brain. In fact, the addicted brain is significantly different from the non-addicted brain. The American Psychiatric Association defines drug addiction as a chronic, relapsing disease that results from the long-term effects of drugs on the brain. Prolonged drug abuse can cause disruptions in the brain to continue in a person long after he or she has stopped using drugs and can also cause a person to be unable to respond to environmental cues.

    Drug Abuse and Behavior

    • Drugs also affect the behavior of the abuser. For example, heavy drug use can make people aggressive, can cause them to have poor social skills and can have a negative effect on their relationships. In addition, drug abuse can become an involuntary behavior once addiction sets in, meaning a person cannot control his or her desire to abuse drugs.

    Contributing Factors

    • Many factors contribute to drug abuse in adolescents and adults. Causes are both biological and environmental. According to the National Institute of Drug Addiction, no single factor determines whether a person will become addicted to drugs. In addition, the likelihood that an individual will become addicted varies from person to person. However, some contributing factors do include gender, ethnicity, negative social environment and even mental disorders.

    Health and Social Issues

    • Drug abuse and addiction affects society as a whole and has become a public health and social issue. Drug abuse has been linked to the spread and transmission of HIV and AIDS as well as hepatitis and tuberculosis. The spread of these diseases is a major public health issue because of the cost it has had on society.

    Treatment

    • Drug addiction is a chronic, relapsing disorder and should be approached as other chronic illnesses are, such as diabetes and heart disease. According to Allan Leshner, PhD, in his study in Psychiatry online, because of the complexity of drug addiction, the most effective treatments for this disease include biological, behavioral and social context components.

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