Why do some people call alcoholism a disease?If you have Aids and you stop having sex, Aids will still be in your system. If you are an alcoholic and you stop drinking, alcohol will no longer be in your system.
Besides that, most diseases have medication to treat the disease. What do you do to treat alcoholism, take medication? No, you stop drinking, that's how.
A word that is commonly found in the definition of disease is "involuntary". But when you drink alcohol, that is voluntary, not involuntary!
I also believe that many alcoholics will say that they have a disease because that takes some of the responsibility off them so they don't have to be responsible for their actions.
What do you think?
Answer by ohyes_x_killa
I definately agree. My mom's boyfriend is an alcoholic and my mother always tells me "he cant help it, it is a disease" which i think is complete bullsh!t. people just dont want to take the responsibility for their problem. they want to feel like they HAVE to keep drinking. but there are PLENTY of facilities where a person can go to get rid of the "disease."
Alcoholics will put the blame (for many things) on other people a lot.
There is a south park episode that deals with this and it's really funny, by the way. lol
Answer by MeMe
they call it a disease because once you are an alcoholic you will always be an alcoholic even if you quit drinking. I have went threw this with both of my granparents my mom and now my dad, I have been trying to get my dad to go to AA for about a year now because that is how everyone else kicked the habit. but even after you quit if you ever pick up another drink there is a 95% chance that you will relapse, that is why they call it a disease.
Answer by Amy
alcoholism is a bad habit that our society has deemed a disease to avoid the reality that we all make choices in what we want to do and how we act. I agree if a disease is involuntary then alcoholism does not fit the bill.
To the nurse who compares alcoholism to diabetes maybe you should check your notes. Just because something is taught a certain way does not mean that it is correct. ALCOHOLISM is more a pattern of bad habit than a disease. That's the reason so many people go back and forth to rehab and still use after they are done. Alcoholism is often used as a coping method. If people learn they have the strength and ability to stop their own bad habits then there might be a lot more recovered alcoholics. Not diseased "One day at a time"ers.
In 1990, the Alcoholic's Anonymous General Services Office or AA GSO, the governing organization overseeing all "autonomous" meetings, published an internal memo for the employees of its offices. It was an analysis of a survey period between 1977 and 1989. The results were in absolute contrast to the public perception of AA. "After just one month in the Fellowship, 81% of the new members have already dropped out. After three months, 90% have left, and a full 95% have disappeared inside one year!" (Kolenda, 2003, Golden Text Publishing Company) That means that in under a year, 95% of the people seeking help from AA leave the program. While this only speaks for attendance, it has further implications. AA surveyors do not include dropouts in their sobriety statistics, which is a deceptive, if not outright dishonest, practice. Using the AA GSO statistics, and including the program dropouts, the success rate of AA, as a whole "…the total averages of sobriety for the total AA membership become 3.7% for one year [of sobriety], and 2.5% over five years." (Kolenda, 2003, Golden Text Publishing Company) It's important to understand that 95% of all substance abuse treatment centers in the United States are 12 step based programs. Thus, the failures of AA, are also the failures of treatment.
Repeated studies have shown that the average person, who could be diagnosed with a substance abuse problem, will discontinue use on their own 20-30% of the time. But, those who are exposed to AA and treatment, and who are taught the disease concept, have a drastically decreased chance of achieving sobriety. While treatment professionals are aware of program failure, governing organizations support and promote the adoption of 12 Step tenets into treatment programs for substance abusers. Families pay tens of thousands of dollars to help their loved ones only to place them in programs that follow guidelines of another failing program. Any program based on a program that fails will inevitably fail. For most, 12 Step has become synonymous with failure.
In contrast, programs that teach control and choice are far more successful than programs that teach the disease concept. While conventional treatment methods result in a 3% success rate after five years, programs that do not teach the disease concept, and instead teach choice, have success rates of 86% after five and even ten years (Baldwin Research Institute 2003).
Why don't you take the time to read an article since you think you know so much more than everyone else. The link is listed.
Answer by the_only_solorose
I think that you do not understand the disease process. Alcoholism is indeed a disease, with genetic markers and an identifiable progression. Much like Diabetes or frankly any other disease process. One can be irresponsible and not deal with the disease, this is true of any disease, but that makes it no less a disease process. Just as diabetics must control their dietary intake, so alcoholics have to control their alcohol intake, even more strictly. Just as Diabetes uncontrolled will lead to tissue destruction and eventual death, so also will alcoholism. It is not just a matter of will power, there is a physical component and the addictive urge is most powerful. I suggest that you are lacking in understanding and knowledge, and that you tend towards being judgemental. You may want to take another look at what your opinions are based on.
Answer by amglo1
You are spot-on, Alkies love the term disease because it excuses them from personal responsibility. I stopped drinking 20 years ago & understood drinking to be a choice, not an afflication.
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