| Course | PS375 Psychology of Addiction |
|---|---|
| Unit | Unit 1 |
| Paper type | Discussion board post |
| Length | About 400 words, 2 pages double-spaced |
| Format | APA 7 discussion post |
| School | Purdue University Global |
| Program | BS in Psychology |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for PS375 Unit 1
"I'm Just Weak," He Said: A PS375 Unit 1 Discussion Board Post on Models of Addiction
PS375 · Unit 1 Discussion Board Post
Posted by [Student Name]
The writer, the program, the client and the classmates are composite; the sources cited are real.
Initial Post
At the outpatient substance use program in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where I schedule and conduct first appointments, I met Dale in September, a few weeks after police stopped him for drunk driving for the second time. He is fifty-two, repairs oil field equipment and has drunk heavily for twenty years. Within five minutes he said, "I'm just weak. Other guys can stop." His wife, who drove him, said, "It's a disease. He can't help it."
Each was using a model of addiction. Dale's is the moral model: addiction as a failure of character. His wife's is closer to the brain disease model. Volkow et al. (2016) summarized evidence that heavy, repeated use reshapes the brain systems for pleasure, stress and restraint, so that using turns compulsive and stopping gets harder even for someone who sincerely wants to. Heilig et al. (2021) defended the brain disease model against critics while revising it: brain changes are real and matter for treatment, but they do not remove choice entirely, and social and environmental conditions also shape who develops addiction and who recovers.
Dale's model gave him shame, and his wife's gave him no part to play; neither gave him a way forward.
The biopsychosocial model, which our program uses, combines both lessons. Dale's brain has likely changed after twenty years of heavy drinking, which helps explain why willpower alone failed. But his choices, his work culture of drinking after shifts and his wife's support all matter for what happens next. When I explained this, he said nobody before had made his failed attempts to quit make sense without also calling him helpless.
Which model of addiction do you think helps clients most at the first appointment?
Reply to Nicole
Nicole, your client who rejected the disease label because it felt permanent is a good example. Heilig et al. (2021) note that a disease can be chronic and still respond to treatment, which might help reframe it.
Reply to Andre
Andre, I agree that the moral model still shapes public attitudes. It also shapes self-talk, as Dale's first words showed, so addressing it may be part of early treatment.
References
Heilig, M., MacKillop, J., Martinez, D., Rehm, J., Leggio, L., & Vanderschuren, L. J. M. J. (2021). Addiction as a brain disease revised: Why it still matters, and the need for consilience. Neuropsychopharmacology, 46(10), 1715-1723. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-020-00950-y
Volkow, N. D., Koob, G. F., & McLellan, A. T. (2016). Neurobiologic advances from the brain disease model of addiction. New England Journal of Medicine, 374(4), 363-371. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra1511480
PS375 Unit 1 instructions, in plain terms
The opening PS375 board asks you to compare models of addiction and say which best explains a case. Describe a person, real or composite, and the model of addiction that the person or family seems to hold. Explain the moral, brain disease and biopsychosocial models, drawing on research on how substance use changes the brain and on debate about the disease model. Say which model you find most useful for this case and why, including what each model leaves out. Avoid stigmatizing language such as "addict." End by asking classmates whether a model helps or hurts at the first appointment. A post near 400 words fits, plus two replies adding a factor from another model.
How this PS375 Unit 1 example is built
The post opens with a mechanic who calls himself weak and a wife who calls it a disease. A paragraph names the moral model and summarizes Volkow and colleagues on brain changes and Heilig and colleagues on the disease model's strengths and limits. A highlighted line notes that one model gave shame and the other no part to play. A paragraph explains how the biopsychosocial model combines brain changes, work culture and family support, and reports Dale's response at intake. The closing question asks which model helps most at a first appointment. Replies reframe a chronic disease as treatable and connect the moral model to clients' own self-talk. Each model is judged by its effect at intake.
PS375 Unit 1 rubric: what earns full points
Graders of this first post look for models of addiction applied to a person, not summarized in the abstract. Accurate use of research on brain changes, along with an honest account of the disease model's critics, earns credit. Explaining what each model leaves out shows balanced thinking. Person-first language, avoiding labels such as "addict," is expected. Replies should add a factor from another model rather than agree. Cite neurobiological and theoretical sources in APA style, keeping any client composite. A sentence on how the chosen model changes what a counselor or intake worker actually says to the client often strengthens the post noticeably. Practical effects matter.
PS375 Unit 1 help: mistakes that cost points
Many posts on models of addiction define three models and stop without applying any. Others treat the brain disease model as settled or dismiss it without evidence. Students frequently use stigmatizing language without noticing. The practical effect of a model, on shame, hope or treatment choice, is commonly left out. Many replies compliment instead of contributing. Before posting, choose one person and write what each model would say about them. Note one thing each model misses. Replace any label with person-first language. In replies, add a biological, psychological or social factor the classmate did not mention. Keep every client composite and unidentifiable throughout. Then reread the post as the client would.
Get a PS375 Unit 1 example written to your instructions
Send the Unit 1 prompt and the rubric. A custom post compares models of addiction through one case. The first is free and back within 24-48h. The paper above is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Purdue University Global document.
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PS375 Unit 1 questions, answered
What is the brain disease model of addiction?
A view that substance use changes brain circuits for reward, stress and self-control, making use compulsive.
What is the biopsychosocial model?
A view that biology, psychology and social conditions together shape addiction.
What should replies add?
A factor another model would bring into a classmate's case.
Where can I find a free PS375 Unit 1 sample paper?
This page holds the complete PS375 Unit 1 post comparing models of addiction through a composite client's first appointment, with two replies.
Which model does the PS375 Unit 1 sample favor?
The biopsychosocial model, which accepts brain changes while keeping choices, work culture and family support in view.