One model to rule them all? Governing images in the shadow of the disease model of addiction

Addiction Treatment Providers' Engagements with the Brain Disease Model of Addiction

“…Informed by debates and practices in Sweden, Storbjörk (2018) also advocated for the maintenance of multiple treatment models in practice when arguing that different conceptions of addiction within treatment settings may facilitate better matches between service users with different needs and treatment providers. Storbjörk discussed the contested medicalization of addiction in the 'nonmedical stronghold' of the Nordic countries (see Chapter 36, this volume).…”

Implications of treatment providers’ varying conceptions of the disease model of addiction: A response

“…Storbjörk [3] discusses the contested medicalization of addiction in the 'non-medical stronghold' of the Nordic countries. As she states, in Sweden, key stakeholders within AOD treatment and policy resist abandoning the social tradition in favour of biomedical understandings of addiction problems (e.g.…”

“…In their responses to our systematic review of treatment providers' views about the disease model of addiction [1], Savic and Lubman [2] and Storbjörk [3] make compelling cases against attempting to 'standardise' treatments to address contradictory explanations that treatment seekers may face. Savic and Lubman's argument against implementing an 'overarching, universal addiction model' is threefold.…”

“…Thirdly, implementing an overarching model would paternalistically rely on 'expert' knowledge at the expense of consumer participation and client-centred care. Advocating for the maintenance of multiple treatment models in practice, Storbjörk argues that 'different conceptions in the treatment landscape […] facilitate better matches between service user beliefs and the models and goals available' [3].…”

“…In addressing Storbjörk's [3] and Schmidt's [12] concerns, we see no reason why different treatments based on social and biomedical models cannot co-exist, particularly given that medical and social factors are so intertwined for people experiencing AOD problems. Treatment clients may benefit from both social interventions (e.g.…”