The Biopsychosocial Model of Addiction

The

BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL

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Model

The biopsychosocial model was first formulated in 1977 by the psychiatrist George L. Engel. According to this theory, substance abuse (behavioral addiction) is the result of a complex interaction between biological, psychological, social determinants.

Key Points

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To conclude:

The Story of

Johnny O'Brian

of the model

"I wrote this song years ago as a reflection of the path I was on and how my life could easily have wound-up had I not gotten sober. I'm in long-term recovery and have been deeply blessed with an alternative "

-John Winslow

SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Addiction is not just a brain disease. It is biopsychosocial in the etiology of addiction; the way addiction manifests itself and affects people and families; and in promoting treatment that is holistic and person-centered that touches the physical, mental, social and spiritual aspects clients.

and

Addiction

Advantages

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of the model

Biopsychosocial model = a holistic alternative to the prevailing biomedical model that had dominated industrialized societies since the mid-20th century.

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What causes addiction? Is it a disease? Is it a product of our environment? Is it a symptom of an underlying problem? No one theory has adequately explained the nature of addiction so, as a result, a number of treatment models have been created, each with different approaches.

The biopsychosocial approach strengthens risk assessments for prevention programs and improves diagnosis and treatment of individuals likely to be chemically dependent.

There are genetic and biochemical origins to addiction. But there are psychiatric and psychological underpinnings to addiction as well as public health principles that contribute to addiction e.g., the more available a drug and the lower the price, the more widespread are the health and social costs of addiction to those drugs.

This presentation will focus on the Biopsychological Model of Addiction

References

Who crosses the line into addictive illness depends on their own recipe of biopsychosocial factors. Some people can have little genetic predisposition and family history of addiction, but succumb to overwhelming psychosocial factors. Others can have a strong genetic predisposition, multiple family problems and role models for using substances as a way of living

Limitations

of the model

Mee-Lee, David. (2012). Addiction: It Isn't All a Brain Disease-Getting Back to Biospychosocial. Retrieved from http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.taap.org/resource/resmgr/imported/HO%201h%20ItIsntJustBrainDisease%20Bipsychosocial%20TAAP%20SanAntonio%20TX%207%2027%2012.pdf

SCHC. (n.d.). As a Chronic, Biopsychological Phenomenon-What Causes Addiction. Retrieved from http://www.sunshinecoasthealthcentre.ca/biopsychosocial/

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The biopsychosocial model the most widely endorsed model by treatment researchers because it can most adequately explain the intricate nature of addiction

The Biopsychosocial Model of Addiction

By Nathalie Lapierre

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