Understanding Addiction Beyond the Brain Disease Model

There’s a new path to healing.

Photo by Transly Translation Agency on Unsplash

When we think about addiction, we often picture someone hopelessly trapped in a cycle they can’t escape — a prisoner of their own brain chemistry. But what if I told you that addiction is not a brain disease, but rather a complex, multi-faceted challenge shaped by our environment, our relationships, and our past experiences? As parents and loved ones, this shift in perspective can empower us to support our family members in new, more effective ways.

A New Perspective on Addiction

For years, the prevailing view in both medicine and society has been that addiction is a brain disease — a chronic condition that hijacks the brain’s reward system, leaving the individual powerless to resist their cravings. While this model has brought attention to the need for treatment, it has also created a sense of inevitability and helplessness that can be deeply disempowering for both the person struggling and their loved ones.

But what if addiction is more about unmet needs than broken brains? What if, rather than being an inescapable disease, addiction is a maladaptive way of coping with pain, loneliness, and disconnection? When we start to see addiction through this lens, it becomes clear that healing is possible — not…