Is Alcoholism can be considered as an illness or....?

Question

The World Health Organisation consider Alcoholism as a desease/illness.
Do You Agree ?

Answer 1

I agree with the disease concept of alcoholism. Dr. David Ohlms, who is an expert in the field of alcoholism, has defined alcoholism as follows:

Alcoholism is a chronic, progressive, incurable disease characterized by loss of control over alcohol and other sedatives.

Chronic: Lasts a long time.

Progressive: Alcoholism goes through a series of increasing symptoms and it does not go away. It gets worse even after long periods of sobriety, and can be reactivated by a single drink.
Incurable: One can not return to normal drinking. One can return to a normal life, but only by stopping drinking.

Disease: A condition in which bodily health is impaired and interferes with the ability of the person to function normally.

Loss of control: Once the alcoholic takes that first drink after a period of being sober or abstinent, he/she can not predict with any reliability whether he/she is going to have a normal or abnormal drinking episode. Therefore, they do not control the alcohol, it controls them.

Answer 2

No.
Alcoholism only occurs when a person drinks repeatedly over a period of time. You cannot "catch it" by any other means. It is a medical condition, more along the lines of having a broken leg.

Dr. Benjamin Rush first called it a disease back in the 1700s, he also considered being black a disease.

The "disease model" was important for the treatment of alcoholism, doctors and hospitals often treated alcoholics harshly, locking them away in mental institutions and treating them with "cures" that would be considered torture today.

Answer 3

Yes it is. I was married to an alcoholic for 28yrs and the only reason I stuck by him for that long was because I knew he was ill. I had to call it a day when my kids starting being effected by it. He was making 3 other people very ill and we had to walk away. We have no contact with him but from what we have heard he is drinking even more now.

Answer 4

Yes

Answer 5

Yes

Answer 6

alcoholism is a physical,mental and spiritual illness. I f you don't do anything to treat it, you are condemned to die, because it is a mortal illness too. If you have it, you can't get rid of it until you die, but you can control it, and live your life as happy as you never can imagine. That is the good part. Alcoholism teach you How to live your life like an useful an happy person.
How can you do this? Ask AA office near your house. It works. It really does.

Answer 7

not really but i think self control plays a part as well i think. I'm 35 my hubbys' 38 my dad was an alcoholic all of his adult life, my brother is too & my hubby but they what i call funtioning alcoholics. They work & do well in life, take care of their kids, home ect. but drink everyday when they are home to calm them down & put them to sleep. Also I think it gives them a false sense of confindence to face large crowds, i drank alot when i was younger but now maybe 1 time a year & thats rare. and also i think boredom plays part too but for the most part i think its a choice not an illness/desease

Answer 8

Yes i do agree and the sad reality of it is the effect it has on not only the alcoholic them-self but also their loved ones.

Answer 9

Sorry, in my opinion it's not.
It's a matter of choice to drink and it's a matter of willpower to stop.
Some people theoretically may be predisposed by genetics to become an alcoholic, but even then, once ID'd, there is a choice made.

Answer 10

Yes I agree.