Alcohol Use Disorder Discussion

Alcohol Use Disorder Discussion

Select one specific substance from Module 11 (https://opentext.wsu.edu/abnormal- psych/chapter/module-11-substance-related-and-addictive-disorders/) that is abused and describe a possible cause of it. Explain your position on whether someone with a substance-related disorder can engage in controlled drug use. Use clinical criteria to support your position. Explain your position on whether someone with a substance-related disorder has a disease. Use clinical criteria to support your position.

To demonstrate what you learned this week, be sure to support your work by referring to specific information from the learning resources. Cite and reference the sources you use.

Be sure to review the Week 4 Discussion Rubric to understand the specific grading criteria your Instructor will use to evaluate your work.

Respond to the initial post of at least one of your colleagues who discussed a different substance than you and describe an alternative possible treatment for it.

To demonstrate what you learned this week, be sure to support your work by referring to specific information from the learning resources. Cite and reference the sources you use. Alcohol Use Disorder Discussion

• Select one specific substance from Module 11 that is abused and describe a possible cause of it,

• Explain your position on whether someone with a substance-related disorder can engage in controlled drug use,

• Use clinical criteria to support your position,

• Explain your position on whether someone with a substance-related disorder has a disease,

• Use clinical criteria to support your position.

Comprehensive Response (200–250 words)

One commonly abused substance discussed in Module 11: Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders is alcohol. Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) often develops through a combination of biological vulnerability and environmental influences. Genetically, individuals with a family history of addiction are at higher risk due to inherited differences in brain reward pathways, particularly in dopaminergic function (OpenStax, 2020). Environmental stressors such as trauma, social drinking culture, or peer pressure also contribute significantly to its onset and maintenance.

I do not believe that individuals with a diagnosed substance-related disorder can engage in controlled drug or alcohol use. According to DSM-5 criteria, individuals with AUD exhibit impaired control, cravings, and continued use despite negative consequences (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). These symptoms suggest a loss of volitional control once substance use is initiated. Research from the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation (n.d.) supports the brain disease model of addiction, showing that chronic substance use alters the brain’s structure and function, particularly in areas governing impulse control and decision-making.

Therefore, I consider substance-related disorders, including AUD, as chronic diseases of the brain. Like other chronic illnesses such as diabetes, addiction requires ongoing management rather than willpower alone. Treatment approaches focusing on abstinence, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and relapse prevention are most effective because they address both the physiological dependence and psychological conditioning that sustain addictive behavior.