Great video, although I would agree with the OP that it is irrelevent to "proving the disease model". The initial premise that the
most important question in addiction is "Is it a disease?" was a little weak. All the information we presently know about how the brain works is definitely important in helping to educate addicted individuals. To me, the most important question in addiction is actually how to end it. Unfortunately, defining it as a disease will not necessarily move the addicted from the jails to the hospitals. If that were true, we would not still be incarcerating the mentally ill. But I definitely think this (it looks more like the "structural model" to me) will open up different and more effective treatment options for the addicted.
McCauley says at the end that once use of drugs and alcohol stops, the brain is restored to homeostasis and the choice center of the frontal lobe can function correctly. Yep. So once that happens, like it has happened for me, then if I drink or use again that would a conscious choice, made outside of the cycle of active addiction, made with a fully functioning top down frontal-cortex-in-charge brain. Once I drink, however, the chain of command flips and my midbrain is in control. If my intoxication subsequently involved the breaking of a law, should I then be incarcerated? or no because I have a disease and should be treated as a patient? How many times should I be able to reverse my brain functioning without consequence?
Disease of choice? uh, yeah...the brain stops working properly when you repeatedly flood it artificially.
I loved this doctor's use of visual analogies. Very nice
