Final answer:
Stanton Peele's critique of the disease model of addiction is that it removes the notion of control from the patient by framing addiction as a chronic illness that overrides personal agency. Substances do change the brain, altering neurotransmitter systems like dopamine, which affect behaviors associated with addiction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The key problem with the disease model of addiction, according to Stanton Peele, is that it tends to remove the notion of control from the patient. This model posits that addiction is akin to a chronic illness and suggests that individuals lose their ability to choose not to engage in substance use due to changes in brain chemistry. This concept is at odds with the idea of personal agency and responsibility.
Research indicates that substance use does indeed change the brain, affecting neurotransmitters and receptors involved in reward, motivation, learning, and memory, leading to addictive behaviors. For instance, the dopaminergic system is often impacted by substance use, which can alter decision-making capabilities and impulse control, contributing to addiction's persistence.
It is critical to symbolically characterize problematic drug use and addiction in a manner that avoids stigmatization, thereby encouraging individuals to seek treatment. One must also recognize the complex interaction between drugs and the brain's biochemistry, where drugs modify brain function, and these changes, in turn, influence drug-related behaviors.