Chemical Dependency | Addiction Is Not a Brain Disease

Drug addiction is a behavioral phenomenon, not a brain disease, Sally Satel argues in the following viewpoint. She contends that the idea that chemical dependency is involuntary ignores the fact that addicts are capable of self-control. According to Satel, the fact that addicts seek treatment and try to quit drugs when they recognize the negative consequences of drug use is proof that chemical dependency is a voluntary decision that can be overcome by behavioral therapies. Satel is a lecturer at the Yale University School of Medicine.

As you read, consider the following...

[The entire page is 3065 words long]

Join eNotes

The above is a free excerpt. Get total access to this content with the: