Is alcoholism a disease or a choice?
Alcoholism is a disease because of the way that alcohol works on the brain. They have done studies to prove that certain people have brains that are very sensitive to the effects of alcohol especially the children of alcoholics. They are the ones who become addicted more easily than most. People don’t set out to become addicted to what ever their drug of choice is and don’t for get ALCOHOL is a DRUG!!!!! Most people forget that part of it and seem to think that the person has chosen to be an addict. IF a person is addicted to say heroin or meth or crack and they have problems with recovery we tend to forgive them or at least understand why they are having problems but with alcoholics we expect them to put down the bottle and just walk away. We also have to remember that most alcoholics are running away from someone or something just like other addicts so why should they be able to quit any easier than anyone else with an addiction???
Alcoholism is an addiction. Being addicted to alcohol is the same as being addicted to heroin, nicotine, etc. There is a physical and mental addiction. Alcoholism can be classified into two categories, alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction. It is stated in the DSM-IV TR. Talk with any psychiatrist or addiction specialist and they will probably tell you the same thing. Also, alcoholism is genetic, so it can be passed down from generation to generation.
Under one definition of the word, “any harmful, depraved, or morbid condition, as of the mind or society”, taken from dictionary.com, alcoholism is a disease. However, I think what you meant to ask was not whether alcoholism can be defined as a disease, but whether it is more a result of genetic predispositions and factors outside of one’s control, or whether it was primarily caused by irresponsible decisions and unwillingness to change. I, personally, don’t think there is a definitive answer. I know that alcoholism does tend to run in families. This probably does mean that it is affected by genetics and/or that they behavior is learned from parents or other close relatives. It can probably be more accurately defined as a psychological disorder than a disease, but either term would probably work. A disorder is defined as follows “a disturbance in physical or mental health or functions; malady or dysfunction”. While using the term disease to describe any sort of dysfunction is probably
