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Perspectives on Addiction
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Perspectives on Addiction
The scourge of addiction is broader than any heavy-worded Google search can ever reveal. As such, the discussion post herein touches but a superficial perspective of addiction and its management in society. It is crucial to note that the persistence or control of addiction is the result of multiple neuronal, endocrine, physical, and environmental factors to the body of an individual that alter the reward circuitry of an individual and it cannot be attributed to a Google search (Meurk, Carter, Hall & Lucke, 2014). Recent research has adjusted the attitudes of society towards addiction with the comprehension of the extensive damage of addiction and the novel interventions that are meant to tackle it (Haldipur, 2018).
Addiction evokes stigma from most of the society. Indeed, when the symptoms of addiction present in an individual they cannot usually maintain their functionality and sociability. Therefore, with limited contribution to the community, addicts rarely inspire empathy from non-addicts. Addiction to illicit substances has even led to the murder of some addicts by society, case in point, the anti-drug movement in the Philippines led by President Duterte that has inspired confidence in some factions (Medina, 2016). However, with increasing emancipation, such extreme perspectives are being drowned by research and outcomes of rehabilitative programs.
The mainstream placement of rehabilitative programs is a welcome gesture for addicts and non-addicts (Pickard, 2017).

The view of addiction as any other chronic illness and the promise of its management creates an alternative perspective towards the problem. The Google image search results are a testament to such cases. Mainstream awareness of an issue primarily affects the public opinion regarding it. Consequentially, the discussion post rightly concluded that addiction is not “evil” or “criminal” from viewing the first page of Google search results. This change in public opinion is commendable.
References
Haldipur, C. V. (2018). Addiction: a brief history of an idea. Psychological medicine, 48(8), 1395-1396.
Medina, M. Y. (2016). Extrajudicial Punishment to Combat the Philippine Drug War: Problem or Solution. Loy. U. Chi. Int’l L. Rev., 14, 155.
Meurk, C., Carter, A., Hall, W., & Lucke, J. (2014). Public understandings of addiction: Where do neurobiological explanations fit? Neuroethics, 7(1), 51-62.
Pickard, H. (2017). Responsibility without blame for addiction. Neuroethics, 10(1), 169-180.