ADDICTION IS NOT A BRAIN DISEASE

The idea that addiction is a "brain disease" has gradually been consolidated in the medical-psychiatric field over the last years, as it appears in the current DSM-5. In this paper we analyse the way this idea has arisen and been consolidated, as well as the criticisms that it has received, the professional consequences if this model becomes hegemonic, and the underlying interests. The conclusion defends the need to show, as psychologists, our clear contributions to the field of addictions, and the psychological variables that are necessary in order to understand and prevent addictions, as well as the central role of psychological treatment due to its effectiveness. We must also denounce the reductionism that the model of brain disease represents in comparison with a biopsychosocial model of addiction.