Supporting points
. can explain individual differences - people may engage in same activity but addicition only occurs in some people. Cognitive approach can account for these differences, those who develop faulty cognitive biases may be more likely to develop an addicition.
. implications for treatment- Evidence that there is more than ine motivation for addictive behaviours, therefore should be differing approaches to their treatment - can aid treatment of smoking/ gambling addicts. e.g. if self medicating addicts, more beneficial to trear underlying problems first before attempting to get them to quit the addicition. If addicition is due to irrational beliefs then maybe cognitive treatments would be more appropraite in hope to correct the cognitive errors.
Against
Problems of cause and effect- It has been suggested that psychological symptoms come before addictive behaviour. However it could be that medical/ social/ financial costs of the addicitive behaviour led to the depression. In other words which came first?
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