Alcoholism: is it a real disease or an excuse for failure?
Society has labeled alcoholism a "disease". Do you agree or disagree, and why?
tcturout, calling me ignorant wins you no brownie points. I asked a simple question and expected a simple answer. Calling others that dont agree with ur point of view is offensive, and very liberal minded. You wont be winning the best answer this time.
Alcaholics have an excuse for everything. When they get pulled over its the stupid police who dont know what they’re doing. When they lose their license its the dumb unfair laws. When they get fired the boss is an asshole and they hated that job anyway. One excuse after another. Calling alcaholism a disease is just one more excuse for alcaholics to use. Excuses and denials become their way of life.
December 28th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
a physical, psychological, and spiritual disease.
I think it is a real physical disease because alcoholics can consume and even do things (other than pass out) at an alcohol blood level that would kill most people.
References :
December 28th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
it’s an addiction – but it is no excuse – we have to stand up for our addictions (by the way: we all have them…)
References :
December 28th, 2009 at 8:51 pm
I think that at least for some people it is a disease. I have known people who were bright and successful, with no real worries in the world fall victim to alcoholism, there was no failure there to excuse. They just got drunk all the time for no good reason. And with therapy many can be helped so it must be a disease, right?
References :
December 28th, 2009 at 9:22 pm
As a recovering addict, my life depends on accepting it as a disease. You give up your favorite thing to do that gives you most pleasure and you feel that you cant live without. Do that with the intent of doing it permanently and after a few days try to find a word for the longing that you feel. At least you will know what addicts go through. No arguments here, Jack, just do it and you will see. If you can e-mail me with results from actually doing this then you’ll be ready to hear an answer. I once thought like you until I nearly threw my life away. I accepted it as a disease and it has been easier to deal with. I tried every way I could to stop my disease and could not do it my way. I never could stay clean for more than a week and I just celebrated 23 months on June 6.
References :
December 28th, 2009 at 10:00 pm
I don’t really think you can call addiction a disease.
I think alcoholism is primarily a social “disease”, because you start to drink because your dudes do too, and it’s considered kind of cool. Also, I’ve heard not so long ago that gens are responsible for it too (as providing the capability to become an addict). It seems correct to me ‘cause I usually hate the taste of alcoholic drinks. Overall, I guess it’s a matter of self control.
References :
December 28th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
initially its a choice.. if u accept it it becomes a habit and if u loose control over yourself then it is a disease…. alcoholism is not a disease on its own its we who make it a disease.
References :
December 28th, 2009 at 11:02 pm
Alcaholics have an excuse for everything. When they get pulled over its the stupid police who dont know what they’re doing. When they lose their license its the dumb unfair laws. When they get fired the boss is an asshole and they hated that job anyway. One excuse after another. Calling alcaholism a disease is just one more excuse for alcaholics to use. Excuses and denials become their way of life.
References :
Me. I’m an alcaholic. I finally quit five years ago.
December 28th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
Yes,it is a disease which can defintely be cured if treated properly and in correct time.
References :
December 29th, 2009 at 12:16 am
Alcoholism is a real disease.
Just take someone off alcohol suddenly and watch the withdrawal – and addiction is disease.
Yes, denials can become a big part of the disease, but a lot of people first become alcoholics after self-medicating for other disorders such as depression and post traumatic stress disorder.
References :
December 29th, 2009 at 12:51 am
As you "phrase it",it’s an excuse for failure.My brother has been a drunk since his teens,he’s now 42,and still a drunk,now living out in the street’s as a bum.Went to college,has book smart’s,had everything "supposedly" going for him,when he pursued being a drunk fulltime,instead of pursuing excellence,it’s all about choice.It’s a bunch of crap that psycho doc’s are brainwashing the masses of people with this nonsense of they cant help it,it’s a disease,IT’S NOT A DISEASE! If you never drink alcohol you can never become a drunl,if you never gamble,you cant become enslaved to gambling,you never take in tobacco,you cant get enslaved to tobacco product’s,dont ever take ’s,wont become enslaved to it.I was born as an infant with FAS(fetal alcohol syndrome) according to the "expert’s" i should be or should have been a drunk by now,but i’m not,and never will be one because i have never taken even a drop of alcohol in my life(i’m 39)and never will,i willNEVER be a drunk because i CHOOSE NOT TO BE ONE!
References :
December 29th, 2009 at 1:34 am
a real disease.
References :
December 29th, 2009 at 1:41 am
"Society" has not done a great job for doing the homework. "Society" tries to fake it’s way through the tough courses without knowing the subject matter before they speak.
There is a tremendous amount of ignorance and down right stupidity when it comes to alcholism.
It is indeed, a very REAL disease. Just like diabetes. You would not ask this same question of a cancer patient with a brain tumor would you? Just because you have not experienced it or can not see it, or not understand the complex reactions from different parts of your brain that may be affected, it does not mean that it does not exist.
These very same reasons are also why it is hard for those affected by this debilitating disease to come to grips that they "have it".
Drinking has become an acceptable way to cope with the good times but more so with the bad ones. We have lost the skills to cope in a day to day world. When the sober brain sees the mess, it is overwhelmed with the additional problems to deal with it all. Then comes the "guilt" (it is like the olive in the martini) shaken not stirred. Feeling bad cause they drank, feeling bad cause they did not go home, feeling bad cause they can’t do the work they used, feeling bad cause they missed the kids game, feeling bad all of the time.
This is where the "excuse for failure" thoughts come from.
No one "plans" to be a failure. No one plans to be an alcoholic either. Not every alcoholic is a failure. It is kind of like having a cold. Some get only a light case of sniffles, they still manage to go to work and function, then there are some who are downright bed ridden, and then some even die. Every one of them had a cold, some worse than others and unable to help themselves to even get to a doctor for help.
Alcoholism is a recognized disease, can be treated successfully with diligence and support from friends and family. Just like diabetes and cancer.
Now you know why it is so hard for those who are affected to admit there is a problem. Especially when most think it is only "an excuse for failure".
References :
Been there done that. There is hope and life for those who want to have a better life.
April 19th, 2010 at 9:52 am
It’s important to keep in mind that it is a disease as classified in the Diagnostic Manual for doctors AND insurance companies. It’s classification as a disease has been a HUGE economic boon to medicine and therapy. If it’s classified it can be paid for by insurance.
It is clearly not a disease like cancer or diabetes.
It was a choice, perhaps there are genetic propensities, certainly organic consequences, but it is not a disease.
Alcoholics can choose to stop drinking.
I’ve lived with an alcoholic for years and I think that AA and the disease classification is more justification for them to drink.
May 4th, 2010 at 3:21 pm
“It is clearly not a disease like cancer or diabetes.
It was a choice, perhaps there are genetic propensities, certainly organic consequences, but it is not a disease.
Alcoholics can choose to stop drinking.”
Very well said, Jack. Alcoholism can certainly lead to chronic diseases, but that doesn’t mean that alcoholism is, in and of itself, a disease.
This in no way minimizes the damage it causes to the alcoholic and those around him, but, no, it’s not a disease a la cancer or diabetes. Just look at the way the “disease” of alcoholism is treated. The “prescription” is generally joining a 12-step program, changing people, places, and things, etc. That’s really not equivalent to insulin or chemotherapy. That’s a big clue right there and an acknowledgment that there’s an element of choice involved in addiction that’s not present in actual diseases.
Is there a genetic component? Sure, to the extent that genes + environment = behavior. That doesn’t excuse the alcoholic who continues to drink and doesn’t make his/her alcoholism a disease. If alcoholics couldn’t choose to stop drinking, there would be no examples of drunkards who have sobered up. An allergy to alcohol might explain drinks two through two hundred, but the decision to pick up drink number one inarguably constitutes a choice not evidence of a disease.