Or is it just something people say?
2007-09-22 19:09:51 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Other - Health
Well since there isn't a word that can truly sum up what addiction means, "disease" is considered the closest word that best describes a mental, physical, and spiritual condition.
I didn't take to it myself at first. My first two attempts with AA weren't successful. My third time in, an alcoholic suggested that I should try an NA meeting because I had mentioned that I was also a drug user.
My point is that once I could admit that I was an addict, I opened the door for a greater understanding of why the word "disease" is used. It doesn't suggest that you catch anything from another user that makes a clean person become an addict. It just speaks of it in the three aspects that I mentioned earlier.
I have to admit, after 3 years and 2 months clean, that despite my attempts to find a better word, "disease" is still the best that I can use. It is confusing to those that aren't in a position to have to deal with addictions counseling or treatment, so I do my best to illustrate how we in 12 step programs understand it. Of course, I don't speak for everyone, its just my idea of what it means.
2007-09-22 19:24:43 · answer #1 · answered by Awesome Bill 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Alcoholism is a disease with four main features:
1. Craving - a strong need to drink.
2. Loss of control - not being able to stop drinking once
you've begun.
3. Physical dependence – withdrawal symptoms, such as
nausea, sweating or shakiness after stopping drinking.
4. Tolerance - the need to drink greater amounts of alcohol iin order to get “high”
Alcoholism carries many serious dangers. Heavy drinking can increase the risk of certain cancers. It can cause damage to the liver, brain and other organs. It can cause birth defects. It increases the risk of death from car crashes and other injuries as well as the risk of homicide and suicide.
http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/addictions/alcohol/006.html
2007-09-23 02:22:54 · answer #2 · answered by Sharp 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
No it is not, it is a choice.
I drank for 20 years, went to AA for 5 years and continued to drink until I figured out that it was my choice to continue hurting myself and those around me or to stop. I stopped almost 20 years ago and never looked back. People use disease as a cop-out, there is no medicine or research to cure it other than your own will. There are programs out there for anyone who wants to really quit. I personally had to quit AA to stop drinking, those people depressed me and it was like a revolving door for slipping drunks.
2007-09-23 02:23:21 · answer #3 · answered by amglo1 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No South Park proved it is not in season 11
2007-09-23 02:18:27 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is an addiction, but real alcoholics cannot stay sober unless they have alcohol in them. If they don't get their alcohol, they will feel drunk. Sad but true.
2007-09-23 02:24:14 · answer #5 · answered by Richard_CA 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's both a disease and an addiction.
2007-09-23 02:19:36 · answer #6 · answered by Sniggle 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's no disease, it's an addiction.
2007-09-23 02:17:08 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
no. you could say its a bad habit.
2007-09-23 02:19:18 · answer #8 · answered by ? 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
yes, doctors' say it is
2007-09-23 03:49:02 · answer #9 · answered by whiteninja 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋