Do you believe being addicted to Alcohol is an actual disease like cancer?

[coachTanthony]

Updates

+1 y

So are all addictions a disease or is it just special?

[nergiz]

I do beleive addiction makes you weak. It affects your ability to to understand what is right and what is not. It definetely affects your judgement. So, yes I beleive it is a mental state of mind that harms you and therefore a disease. And I hope you never get it.
I never count myself as an alcoholic, but I regularly drink daily, so I am what they call a functioning alcoholic. I am for the first time in my adult life trying to do sober October thing and I can not say It has been easy. But I did not slip and I’ve only 2 more days to go. Than I will be very proud of myself. It takes a lot of courage and will power to do so. So I wish best of everything who is trying to quit. 🙏🏻✨

[coachTanthony]

I stopped drinking the day my dad died six months ago so far so good feel right as rain!

[Anemone978]

No I will never feel bad for people who make stupid choices. Just like my parents I love them, but I will never forgive them for choosing alcohol over me and my well being while I was growing up.. That is why now that I am an adult I treat them both like shit because fuck 'em..
Just like drug addicts let them die.. I really have no sympathy for these people in the slightest..

[AviatorTom]

No, alcohol addiction and cancer are different.

Cancer is something that happens in your body. You have no choice, it just happens.

Alcohol addiction started when you had a choice... to drink or not... and it becomes an addiction that the body craves.

The treatment is also different between the two.

Cancel treatment is often chemo-therapy to kill (or at least disable) the cancer cells

There is no pill or medical treatment to cure alcohol addiction. Treatment involves getting the individual to change their ways, using psychology. and alternative drinks.

[SportySpock]

Actually, alcohol addiction is medical as well, as it is a result of an imbalance of the neurotransmitter dopamine coupled with a tendency of the body to respond a certain way. Same with other addictions. Not everyone who drinks becomes an addict, so you can’t say that choice is solely how it started. Also, all diseases are treated differently. You wouldn’t give a patient an anticonvulsant to treat a UTI.

[AngryCarl2]

No, it's an addiction. The disease model of alcoholism is totally bogus.

[AngryCarl2]

Thanks for MHO coach!

[OfMiceandMen]

Not sure, I have a hard time lumping an addiction with a disease. In my mind a disease/infliction is something the person has no choice in the matter, whereas a alcoholism, is ultimately a choice.

It can be a very nasty addiction and cause diseases, similar to what smoking can, but I just can't seem to see it the same way as say someone with cancer.

[Kingofkings1992]

A person does not choose an addiction. That’s not how addiction works.

[normalice]

I think to be prone to addiction is to be desperate for escape and that desperation derives from either being in a really bad situation or from not learning to cope with a normal situation - life is suffering by default, after all. I think people can learn to cope after they become adults but it's much harder to want to if they don't have to, and when an addiction is readily available like alcohol is, it's pretty much impossible. But I don't think it's a disease of the person so much as the person being unable to handle a disease in their environment. Burying their thoughts under a layer of alcohol shelters them from that disease.

[SportySpock]

Medically, yes it is of the same category. Addiction is the result of an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain and is characterized by the body’s response in attempt to compensate.

Disease is defined as “a condition of the living animal or plant body or of one of its parts that impairs normal functioning and is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms.” Source:

So yes, any addiction - not just alcoholism - falls into this category. For example, an addiction to dairy product consumption may signal a calcium deficiency. The fact is that there is a reason the body craves what it craves.

[SportySpock]

Source is Webster dictionary. Sorry, it didn’t paste.

[JustMeQ2]

Alcoholism is a bad coping mechanism, not a disease. It's more of a psychological problem than a biological one.


After you tackle the reasons why the person started drinking, the psychological reasons for drinking go away. And you are left with the biological urges/habits that you need to unlearn.


You can't get rid of disuse with this healing plan.

[Bricealan]

Coach, we both know why alcoholism was classified as a 'disease' .. so the huge number of 'treatment centers' could benefit from treating those 'sick' individuals. If I'm not mistaken, as a result of the "disease' classification, they get govt. funding.

And of course, I do not believe the BS 'disease' classification, any more that tobacco is a 'disease'

[Bricealan]

As an add on, I do drink wine almost daily, and enjoy wine with dinner or food, but do know persons who were 'drunk' regularly.. and could not stop drinking until they were unconscious or falling down drunk. Behavior problem, not a disease.

[lightbulb27]

"Dis-ease"... not in a state of ease, so yea. body craving alcohol that it cannot run on does not make sense...

but like cancer... where the bodys cells are running amuck... no.

[lightbulb27]

it's odd though how doctors would term it a disease. Maybe they just identify as people that thirst alcohol?
If they identify, then it's not a disease... right? So a new acronym...
ACM++ = alcoholic, cocaine, Methamphetamines, ++
Just show your sticker to the officer and they will let ya go since you identify as not having a problem...

[236color]

What's called the "disease model" of addiction came about because treating it as a moral failure only made it worse. Addiction is a very thorny problem and people that are addicted can't just DECIDE to quit. Some folks overcome it, some die of it.

[Anonymous]

The trouble I see with calling it a disease is that diseases generally manifest without the need for constant action by the patient. If you were all of a sudden devoid of all access to alcohol would you still suffer from alcoholism? Once you take it away you don't suffer from any more symptoms (once withdrawals stop). Similarly, if you had never had a drink of alcohol it's not possible to have the "disease". Other diseases don't work this way.

[Butterflywolf]

Yeah, they do. Cancers can be caused by eating food that your body can't digest. Diabetes can be caused by food too. Swimming, running, lifting all cause some diseases.

[Drewtate]

No it's an addiction. It's a mind over matter problem. An alcholic can stop drinking if they have enough will power, a person who is suffering cancer can't stop having cancer with will power.

[PBandJ_Nerd]

I wouldn't call it a disease. Addictions are hard to get rid of. Just like how you can be allergic to anything and the sun, the same applies to addictions.

[exitseven]

It is not like Cancer. Cancer does not give you a choice.

[Kingofkings1992]

A disease is defined as a condition of a living animal or plant body that impairs normal functioning and is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms. By definition, I do believe it qualifies as a disease.

[Miristheiss]

No.

If you never drink to begin with it will never happen to you.

[leahzrc]

I had 2 exes that were alcholic and I can tell you, it does not get better

[AngryCarl2]

It doesn't get better because they're happy the way they are.

[Anonymous]

Yes.. I also see it as a weakness of character. I see all addictions to substances like that and narcotics the same way. They chose to use it, there for they chose to be addicted. Its a weakness, and unworthy of respect.

[Opinion Owner]

Good on you for stopping.. Staying away from stuff like that makes you a better stronger person.

[msc545]

Addiction is a disease if it impairs your health or functioning or both - alcohol clearly does.

[AnusNdaPainus]

No

I mean some people have a problem

but some people just like to party and can quit whenever they want

[Pete671]

Depends what you mean by addiction to alcohol,

[Night_Angel]

yes because I heard about it from doctors and that's why my grandfather got cancer.

[Guardian45]

Yes, it is. It actually has basis in genetics; people who can be pre-dispoaed to addiction, like alcohol, gambling, porn, sex, risk-taking behavior, etc. It can be overcome, but it is ALWAYS a present risk.

[clampfan101]

It might as well be even if not scientifically licensed as such. (Same for smoking.)

[clampfan101]

Update: It’s a disease if it’s bad for your health. Being addicted to science isn’t a disease. lol

[scentoflavender]

I think there is such a thing as being genetically predisposed to certain additions. But I'm not a doctor.

[Anpu23]

No its more psychological than physical. There are some physical elements but no, not really.

[Slim57]

No but it's definitely nothing to take lightly if someone has a problem

[jahaims]

Disease: particular quality, habit, or disposition regarded as adversely affecting a person or group of people.
It is

[legalboxers]

No. Alcoholism and Drug Addiction is a disease. Which is self manifested. Cancer can be a precursor to it

[Likes2drive]

No because it’s avoidable and self inflicted

[crazyymann]

yes probably due to dopamine defficiency