Discussion B Defining Addiction

M1 Discussion B: Defining Addiction
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M1 Discussion B: Defining Addiction
The term addiction is commonly used in several countries to describe many problems associated with habitual and compulsive usage of substances (Gabbard, 2017). The models analyzed in this discussion are the biopsychosocial model as well as the willingness, mindfulness and paradoxical intention models of addiction.
Advantages of Biopsychosocial Model over Willingness, Mindfulness, and Paradoxical Intention Models
The willingness, mindfulness and paradoxical intention models of addiction consider the health of an individual to be an abnormality in some constant physiological state. Comparing these theories to the biopsychosocial model, the biopsychosocial model emphasizes that the illness and health is an outcome of biological, psychological and social factors that interact altogether. The model looks at disease processes and genetic bases, seeks to alter defenses and attitudes, and emphasizes the significance of family involvement as well as social support (Skewes and Gonzalez, 2013).
The biopsychosocial model has shown success in public policy and social engineering approaches to drug addiction issues. For instance, according to Skewes and Gonzalez (2013), after banning alcohol use during prohibition, the national degrees of drinking, as well as related health concerns like liver cirrhosis, were minimized. The model motivates addicts to limit their intake of substances through influential processes of change like self-liberation, consciousness raising, and dramatic relief.

Therefore, the model’s impact on the inclination to change ensuing substance abuse puts it in a more advantageous position compared to the other three models.
The Advantages of Using the Willingness, Mindfulness and Paradoxical Intention Models of Addiction
It is essential to note that although the three models do not look at disease processes and genetic bases; they have value in assisting patients to understand what addiction is all about. The willingness concept is vital to recovery from addiction as it enables individuals with lack of willpower to acknowledge their powerlessness over alcohol and drugs and to ask for assistance (Sack, 2012).
Mindfulness enables the addicts to become aware of the influences in their environment that drive their behavior. By doing so, the addicts can control their behavior as well as thinking in line with their values which enables them to halt their headlong rush towards their addiction that may overtake their bad moments (Peele, 2016). The paradoxical intention model supports recovery drug addicts through encouragement from the therapist to wish for or intend for, even only for a second, precisely what they are most afraid of (Frankl, 2016).
The Rationale for the Addition of Behavioral Addictions within the DSM 5
Currently, there is no sufficient scientific evidence to support the basis for including the behavioral addictions as part of the DSM 5. According to Hasin et al. (2013), despite extensive literature regarding sex, shopping, internet gaming and exercise addictions, as provided in over 200 publications, there are no standard diagnostic criteria for including the dependencies in the DSM 5. Furthermore, only limited data is available in those publications concerning prevalence, course and brain functioning (Hasin et al., 2013). Therefore, more research is required to ascertain associated biological factors, the prevalence of samples and rationality data of diagnostic criteria.
Behavioral Addiction and Mental Health Disorders
Other mental disorders can explain behavioral addiction, and the most common one is the obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The most likely suspects include compulsive–impulsive internet addiction, compulsive–impulsive sexual habits that involve continuous sexual deeds, as well as compulsive–impulsive shopping behaviors.

References
Frankl, V. (2016). Viktor Frankl | Pursuit of Happiness | Happiness is understandable, obtainable, and teachable. Retrieved from http://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/history-of-happiness/viktor-frankl/Gabbard, G. O. (2017). Long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9781615371471
Hasin, D. S., O’Brien, C. P., Auriacombe, M., Borges, G., Bucholz, K., Budney, A … Grant, B. F. (2013). DSM-5 Criteria for Substance Use Disorders: Recommendations and Rationale. American Journal of Psychiatry, 170(8), 834-851. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2013.12060782
Peele, S. (2016, January 26). What about shaming people into recovery? Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/addiction-in-society/201601/what-about-shaming-people-recoverySack, D. (2012, November 7). Does willpower play a role in addiction recovery? Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/where-science-meets-the-steps/201211/does-willpower-play-role-in-addiction-recoverySkewes, M. C., & Gonzalez, V. M. (2013). The biopsychosocial model of addiction biopsychosocial vs. biomedical models of addiction. Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/34217281/The_Biopsychosocial_Model_of_Addiction_BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL_VS._BIOMEDICAL_MODELS_OF_ADDICTION