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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
15 pages in length. While the never-ending question of physical versus psychological origin is still ongoing even within contemporary medical communities, many experts who once thought substance dependency was only psychological in nature now support findings that indicate it is caused by a combination of both entities. Bibliography lists 15 sources.
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15 pages (~225 words per page)
File: LM1_TLCSubDepnd.rtf
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substance dependency was only psychological in nature now support findings that indicate it is caused by a combination of both entities. II. MENTAL ILLNESS AND CONDITIONAL (PSYCHOLOGICAL) COMPONENTS There
is no question that such substance dependency as alcoholism is many times directly linked with depression and other mental illnesses. While depression can be considered a hereditary condition, it
might be difficult to connect such heredity as it relates to alcoholism. A person suffering from depression often turns to the numbing effects of alcohol to further mask the
inherent emotional pain that is so prevalent with psychological problems of this kind. Being a depressant itself, alcohol actually creates even more of a problem for someone experiencing the
throes of severe depression, as it only perpetuates extreme sadness, anxiety and withdrawal - all of which are characteristic symptoms of depression (Schuckit, 1996). Determining whether or not depression causes
alcoholism indicates it to be a definite instigator, although it is more likely that the alcoholism is borne out of a desperate desire to rid oneself of the overwhelming pain
of depression. Research shows that one of three alcoholics suffers extreme depression and anxiety, which clearly demonstrates how the two are intertwined. However, while a considerable amount of
research points to the fact that depression or anxiety problems tend to cause alcoholism, some studies refute that claim as untrue (Schuckit, 1996).
Another concern with the mentally ill and drug dependency is the notion of dual diagnosis, a situation where an individual is diagnosed as being both mentally ill and a drug
addict. While it is wholly possible to be dually diagnosed with a different secondary disease, drug abuse ranks high on the list. Research findings indicate that mental illness
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