Is alcoholism really a disease, or is calling it a disease just giving one an "excuse" to keep drinking?
Please give me specifics (bioligical) on why you think it is a disease, and why people claim they have no power over it?
That would be *biological*, not that other word I mis-spelled up there.
The most convincing argument for alcoholism/addiction being a disease
comes from Terry Gorski:
"If alcoholism is defined as a disease, it will be treated as a healthcare problem. As a result, alcoholics will be assured the right to receive appropriate medical treatment for this disease. The treatment of Alcoholism will be covered by health insurance and other health care financing plans in both the public and private sectors. The appropriate health care groups will be mobilized to support its treatment. And, most importantly, ongoing biomedical research which relates alcoholism to other diseases will be funded.
If alcoholism is not defined as a disease, we will be making the decision that it does not rightfully belong within healthcare. Alcoholics, then, will be denied access to vital healthcare services. Insurance and other health care financing plans will exclude alcoholism.
Alcoholism, which is responsible for 30% of all inpatient hospital days and nearly 50% of emergency room visits, will be divorced from the medical field. As a result it will never be fully integrated into our health care system."
There it is, the ECONOMIC reason that they’re called "diseases".
February 25th, 2010 at 1:29 am
It does not really matter, does it? There is no excuse to keep drinking and ruining your own and other people’s lives. Even if thought of as a disease, the cure is to stop drinking.
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February 25th, 2010 at 1:39 am
Alcoholism is not a disease.
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February 25th, 2010 at 2:12 am
It is a disease that effects people it is a trait passed down through a person’s genes thats why children of alcholics are at risk of becoming one.
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February 25th, 2010 at 2:41 am
all substance abuse is a disease. because it effects the chemicals in the brain and the way they function. alcoholics eventually become dependant on the drug, just like any other abuser and their drug of choice. the brain simply cannot function without that substance.
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February 25th, 2010 at 3:02 am
It’s not a disease…it’s a choice….and your talking to someone who has some problems so I’m not just judging. Saying it’s a disease is a copout….now are there certain people who have addictive personalities and genetic depression which makes it harder for them to say no. Sure……so both sides are right…it’s not a disease …but it still may be easier for you to stay sober than someone else.
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February 25th, 2010 at 3:34 am
It is as much of a disese as everything else is. A disese is simply something that is wrong with a weak person. simple as that.
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February 25th, 2010 at 4:04 am
it is actually a disease. any type of addiction is a disease. it is not something you can control. kind of like when someone has mental disorders, they cannot control it. there is something in the brain that says…this makes you feel better and you need it. alcoholism runs strong in my family, and i have family members in recovery. there is a big debate on whether or not it’s actually a disease because people don’t understand it. ask any recovering alcoholic, and they will tell you it is a disease and it takes more strength than anything to stay sober.people who aren’t alcoholics or grew up with them don’t understand.
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grew up around recovering alcoholics
February 25th, 2010 at 4:27 am
Disease: "a condition of the living animal or plant body or of one of its parts that impairs normal functioning and is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms."
According to this definition from Webster, yes it is a disease. As far as the biological characteristics, alcohol definitely affects the body, but I think a lot of the time the addiction has a stronger hold on the brain. Any type of addictive behavior is usually derived from psychological conditioning. Many alcoholics feel they need alcohol to function or just cope.
I don’t think labeling alcoholism as a disease is to make an excuse for it. I think it is to create an awareness of how serious it can be and that someone with alcoholism can’t easily "cure" themselves, they need treatment and help.
It is like telling someone dealing with depression to "just cheer up." It is demoralizing to tell an alcoholic to "just quit drinking" because making it sound like it is something that should be that easy to do when, in reality, it is very difficult makes an alcoholic feel worthless and weak not being able to quit their addiction.
Yes, in many ways, alcoholism is a choice. If someone doesn’t want help or won’t admit to having a problem, you can’t help them. They have to want to help themselves.
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February 25th, 2010 at 5:13 am
Alcoholism is a disease. It’s chronic which means it can be fatal, It’s progressive which means it gets worse without treatment, and it has a projected outcome if not arrested. (death) Alcohol (the disease) messes up a person’s brain so bad he/she doesn’t think they have a problem. They keep on drinking no matter what happens around them because of their drinking.Once addicted to etoh,the body needs it to function because the brain stopped producing certain chemicals needed to function. That’s why it is VERY IMPORTANT to get to a treatment center or hospital for detox. Detox alone can be fatal without proper medical supervision. I could go on for hours about alcoholism, but that’s it in a nut shell.
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Personal expirience. (2) + years sober after (30) years of alcoholic drinking.
February 25th, 2010 at 5:44 am
The most convincing argument for alcoholism/addiction being a disease
comes from Terry Gorski:
"If alcoholism is defined as a disease, it will be treated as a healthcare problem. As a result, alcoholics will be assured the right to receive appropriate medical treatment for this disease. The treatment of Alcoholism will be covered by health insurance and other health care financing plans in both the public and private sectors. The appropriate health care groups will be mobilized to support its treatment. And, most importantly, ongoing biomedical research which relates alcoholism to other diseases will be funded.
If alcoholism is not defined as a disease, we will be making the decision that it does not rightfully belong within healthcare. Alcoholics, then, will be denied access to vital healthcare services. Insurance and other health care financing plans will exclude alcoholism.
Alcoholism, which is responsible for 30% of all inpatient hospital days and nearly 50% of emergency room visits, will be divorced from the medical field. As a result it will never be fully integrated into our health care system."
There it is, the ECONOMIC reason that they’re called "diseases".
References :
Why We Should Reject The Disease Concept of Alcoholism* by Herbert Fingarette, Ph. D.
http://www.indiana.edu/~engs/cbook/chap6.html