Is Alcoholism a Disease?

[juggleboy14]

I want to hear varied insights on this topic.

[shamyr jun d]

no, I drink also but i still control myself.not because I'm depressed.

[VjNy]

There has been much contoversy over this issue. The american medical association had classified addiction and alcoholism as a disease. I view addiction and alcoholism as the same thing because they both have the same effects. i was in treatment for addiction and they taught us that it is a disease. i initally felt that it was an easy way out for an addict to blame their problem on anything but themselves. But after hearing lectures on this subject i do believe that it is a disease(although i am still a litlle skeptical). Research and tests have been done that support alcoholism and drug addiction as a disease. It deals with a very primitive part of our brain but i don't know its medical name. I now view addiction as a disease because it helps me deal with it on a daily basis. i treat it as if i had diabetes. Meaning that a diabetic must always monitor their blood sugar and take insulin when needed. For addicton, i monitor it everyday by going to meetings, doing 12 step work, and constantly having my guard up. If i did not do this i probably would not be clean and as happy as i am today. If one thinks that they can just stop drinking or using drugs when addicted they are wrong and will end up worse off. on the other hand there are people who can drink and use drugs recreationally and never have a problem, these people do not have the disease. Hope my long rant about this gave you some insight. i am talking from experience but i'm sure you can find medical studies that support or disprove what i said.