Psy 270 Substance Abuse Checkpoint

I would agree most with the psychodynamic viewpoint as well as the sociocultural viewpoint. I found it difficult to choose just one viewpoint when the causal factors can be extremely broad when it comes to substance abuse. I agree with the psychodynamic viewpoint because people who experience a lack of nurturance during early childhood often carry it with them throughout their entire lives if the issue goes unresolved. Substance abuse is not the only disorder that may be caused by childhood trauma. There are many other disorders that can be linked to early childhood experiences as well, which is why I find myself agreeing with this particular viewpoint. I also agree with the sociocultural viewpoint because society plays a large role when it comes to individual behavior and attitude, so a person’s environment can definitely have an impact on their decisions in life. People are constantly seeking the approval of others or trying to fit in with their friends, so the sociocultural viewpoint seems perfectly plausible.
I believe that the behavioral/cognitive and biological viewpoints are also important when it comes to understanding the causes of substance abuse, but I do not find them as influential as the psychodynamic and sociocultural viewpoints. There seems to be a biological basis for almost any disease or disorder, but I feel that there is still a lot to learn about the biological viewpoint of substance abuse. The behavioral/cognitive is also plausible in some ways. Personally I feel that that behavioral/cognitive viewpoint does not necessarily lead people to substance abuse but it does seem to play a role in the continuance of substance abuse within an