Is Addiction a Disease or a Choice? The Different Models That Explain Addiction

Recovering Out Loud · Apr 28, 2026 · 17m · transcript

Is addiction a disease… or a choice?

For decades, psychologists, doctors, and people in recovery have debated this question.

Some experts argue addiction is a chronic brain disease.

Others believe addiction develops through learned behavior, trauma, or environment.

In this episode of Recovering Out Loud, Anthony breaks down the major psychological models used to explain addiction and how they influence recovery.

We explore:

• The Disease Model of addiction

• The Learning / Behavioral Model

• The Trauma & Self-Medication Model

• The Biopsychosocial Model used in modern science

• Why different…