Should alcoholism be considered a disease or substance abuse?

Answer 1

Alcoholism is not a disease because it is not contagious. Alcoholism is substance abuse because alcohol is not used in moderation by an alcoholic. Alcoholism is an addiction illness.

Answer 2

According to the Diagnostic and Statistics Manual of Mental Illness, they categorizes substance use as either being Substance Abuse, or Substance Addicted. The difference is a level of usage. Some people do not have the ability to stop, for some it is not a choice, their body cannot function without alcohol... people die from detoxing. There no doubt about a genetic component. Familial patterns need to be looked at. There's no medical doubt that it is a medical condition, a disease if you will.

Answer 3

Alcoholism is not substance abuse. Technically abuse implies choice, not addiction. Alcoholism is addiction. It is beyond abuse. If a college student drinks a case every friday he is someone who abuses alcohol. This does not mean that he is an alcoholic. Chances are he will grow up and quit after he gets a job and matures a bit. This is quite common. If he needs to drink a 6 pack each day to keep from having withdrawl, he is an addict and suffers from alcoholism.

I believe we all have addictive behavior inherent in our genetic makeup. I dont understand what it's purpose is.....but I think it manifests itself under many guises. Obesity, Gambling, Sex addiction, perfectionism, thrill seeking....tobacco addiction......shopping addiction, too religious (zealot) self-righteousness....I think we all have the potential to be 'addicted' to something. I think no matter what it is, the same area of the brain is being stimulated/used. I think that the addiction, whatever it is, is the manifestation and the root cause is not yet understood/known....the brain/psyche is very mysterious and complicated.

Answer 4

Both.
Alcoholism and drug abuse are caused by an imbalance in the brain- much like diabetes is an imbalance in the blood.

Substance abuse is committed by alcoholics and normal folks- everybody self-medicates in some way at some time.

Not all substance abuser have the disease.

Answer 5

It should be considered substance abuse -- "disease" is another way of blaming the problem on someone other than the alcoholic.

Answer 6

As a child of an alcoholic, I feel strongly that it is a cop out to call it a disease. People choose to drink. They don't have to, but they choose to. If alcohol ceased to be available or if they were in jail or if they couldn't afford it, or if they didn't even know what that "stuff" was that made them high, they could just quit drinking. But they choose not to. Sorry, I know everyone wants to get rid of personal responsibility in these modern times, but people choose to drink just as they choose to do every other thing, good or bad.

Answer 7

It is already considered a disease at A.A.
This is because the brain has changed because of the abuse, or because of the obsessive and consuming nature of the dependency and habit-forming behaviours.

Answer 8

It is substance abuse that we know. And anything that abuses us and we refuse to stop becaus of some dis-ease in us doesn't leave much room for argument does it?

Answer 9

Boy, you gotta a bunch of folks that dont like Boozers. No wonder, they do a lot of damage to society. The fact of the matter is that someone who is willing to call themself an alcoholic is most likely willing to take responsibility for thier state of affairs.
More properly, it is a disorder. One that has biological, sociological, and psychological aspects - and people who think its merely a matter of "will power" dont know diddly about addiction.

Answer 10

I'm wondering why you would ask such a question. It makes me think of people that want to reduce life situations to formulas. It is what it is and for utility alcoholism can be addressed from either perspective.