Essential Question: Should drug addiction be classified as a mental illness?

Claim: Drug addiction should be classified as a mental illness.

Jenny Reason: The mental side effects of drug addiction are similar to those of a mental disorder. Numerous drugs have lasting precussions parallel to those of a mental disorder. For example, Schizophrenia is a very serious mental disease that causes the individual to feel like someone is out to get them much like the parranoia that some drug users experience. Also, drug addiction can intensify the symptoms that the user already possesses from a mental illness.

Bridget Reason: The addict chooses whether or not they seek and obey treatment. Just as most medical diseases are treated, drug addiction can be treated with varying degrees of success. At a certain point in  addiction the addict can no longer control their desires for substances, and they need treatment. This is similar to classified medical illnesses, in that, the victim has no control of the situation and must turn to treatment. Both the addict and the medical patient cannot get better unless they follow the orders of an expert and even then, the treatment may not always work. The fact of the matter is that though the addict may have fallen into addiction on their own accord, at a certain point they are helpless and need to turn to treatment to heal. Both situations and be terminal and life-ending if treatment is not sought.

Various drugs that lead to addiction