For the purpose of this writing assignment, I will be describing how the Health Belief Model
(HBM) relates to the unhealthy behaviour of meth addiction, and how the HBM can be used
as a way to change that behaviour. I will also the psychosocial influences that may exist
regarding this negative behaviour.
Analyse the Unhealthy Behaviour
Meth, or methamphetamine, is an illicit substance which typically acts upon the central
nervous system as a stimulant. It is an incredibly addictive substance which is either snorted,
smoked, or injected. Addiction to this substance cannot be easily overcome with just simple
psychology. However, the first step is always to realise that there is a problem, and once you
realise that your beliefs around the substance needs to change, only then can you begin to
heal.
The Effect of the Health Belief Model on Stopping the Use of Meth
The elements of the HBM include susceptibility, severity, costs, benefits, cues to action
health motivation, and perceived control.
When someone is addicted to meth, their thought process is a different from that of a non-
addicted person. If they do eventually decide to change, they might realize that being
addicted to meth is incredibly dangerous (susceptibility) and can lead to death or
imprisonment(severity) (Ogden, 2019). Stopping the use of meth will bring about intense
cravings and might even have physical effects as a result of the withdrawals (costs) (Ogden,
2019). Stopping the use of meth would save your life, freedom, and a whole lot of money
(benefits) (Ogden, 2019). Meth may lead to psychosis and this can be a very hard pill to
swallow (internal cues to action). The meth user may struggle to struggle to actually stop
using, but they might be confident in the fact that they "can quit at any time." (Perceived
control) (Ogden, 2019). It is ultimately a double-edged sword that meth is now the only way
you can get serotonin and dopamine, but the continued use would have cons that far outweigh
the pros (health motivation). (Ogden, 2019)
The Biopsychosocial Effects
When we consider unhealthy behaviours, we can look at the biopsychosocial factors for even
more information as to why such an unhealthy event began
The biology of an addict can play a big role in whether they are predisposed to become an
addict. If they are genetically inclined, they can be more likely to become addicted (Giordano,
2021). The reward deficiency syndrome has been said to result in addiction because their
natural reward centres might not work like other individual's systems (Giordano, 2021)
The psychology of an addict also plays a huge role. Let's say someone suffers from a
traumatic event (Giordano, 2021). The traumatic event might give someone a reason to try and
forget about the negative event, and drugs are usually the go to (Giordano, 2021)
Lastly, the sociology of an individual can also play a role. Some areas of the world are not as
prosperous as their neighbours (Giordano, 2021). Some areas are shown more advertisements