Alcoholism; A disease or a behavior?

Do you think of alcoholism as...

  • ...a disease

    Votes: 18 41.9%

  • ...a behavior

    Votes: 21 48.8%

  • ..

    Votes: 4 9.3%
  • Total voters
    43
  • Poll closed .
Larry Gude

Larry Gude

Strung Out
David Hasselhoff is in the news again for his drinking woes and the commentator said it is a disease.

Given the current health care debates and my recent thought of just how overwhelmed the system is going to become when people who typically just deal with their maladies, stoic or stupid, be what reasons they may, suddenly going to the doc every time they burp or fart because it's 'free' and 'more accessible', what about drugs and alcohol? Gotta treat that too, right?

So...
 
L

luckystar

Guest
Poor behavior that leads to disease (delerium tremens, and other similar alcohol withdrawal symptoms as well as cirrhosis and/or fatty liver, among MANY other medical complications).

It's certainly not something you catch, but it can be developed like a lot of other diseases. Also like a lot of other developed diseases, it's entirely preventable. You just have no nip stupid in the bud before you get there. Or get psychiatric treatment.
 
cattitude

cattitude

My Sweetest Boy
luckystar said:
Poor behavior that leads to disease (delerium tremens, and other similar alcohol withdrawal symptoms as well as cirrhosis and/or fatty liver, among MANY other medical complications).

It's certainly not something you catch, but it can be developed like a lot of other diseases. Also like a lot of other developed diseases, it's entirely preventable. You just have no nip stupid in the bud before you get there. Or get psychiatric treatment.
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Good post..and pretty much my opinion. :yay:
 
morningbell

morningbell

hmmmmmm
Fishn Guy said:
I was told it was because I was a ####ing #######... so I voted behavior
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No, you're mistaken, it's instant #######, add alcohol :yay:
Do you drink b/c you're a jerk or are you just a jerk when you drink?

I agree with LS, a preventable behavior that can become a disease.
 
F

Fishn Guy

That's Dr. Fishn to you..
morningbell said:
No, you're mistaken, it's instant #######, add alcohol :yay:
Do you drink b/c you're a jerk or are you just a jerk when you drink?

I agree with LS, a preventable behavior that can become a disease.
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I drink to suppress my upper functioning brain.. It helps me deal with the ####in lowlives I run into and deal with on a day to day basis. Depressing myself makes me your equal, so to speak.
 
K

kris31280

Guest
Larry Gude said:
David Hasselhoff is in the news again for his drinking woes and the commentator said it is a disease.

Given the current health care debates and my recent thought of just how overwhelmed the system is going to become when people who typically just deal with their maladies, stoic or stupid, be what reasons they may, suddenly going to the doc every time they burp or fart because it's 'free' and 'more accessible', what about drugs and alcohol? Gotta treat that too, right?

So...
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I believe it's about 6 of one and half dozen of the other. It's a proven fact that children of alcoholic parents are more likely to become alcoholic themselves or to be attracted to alcoholics. Whether this is due to a learned behavior pattern stemming from early childhood or genetics is unclear. Some people have naturally addictive personalities and simply cannot say no to their addictions. Other people cannot cope with the world around them (which is another disease/disorder) and their method of treating the illness is to self medicate.

That being said, I believe it also denotes a weakness of character when someone cannot control themselves when using legal mind-altering substances.

Like nicotine addiction, the body can develop a dependency on the alcohol which can cause symptoms upon withdrawal.

Is it something I think our healthcare system should be treating exclusively as a disease? No. The high relapse rate would indicate that it's not a sound investment based on the current treatments available. Ultimately, if a person chooses to quit drinking, they will quit drinking. If they choose to continue drinking, thinking they have control of their impulsive urges, and it turns out they lack the self control to drink responsibly, it is not something a health insurance should have to pay for.
 
vraiblonde

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
morningbell said:
I agree with LS, a preventable behavior that can lead to a disease.
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:fixed:

Like liver damage and brain dysfunction.

Addictive behaviors are just that - behaviors. When you go to AA or any other rehab type of environment, they treat the behavior, not your body (unless you're in DTs or something).
 
libertytyranny

libertytyranny

Dream Stealer
I am so sick of everything being medicalized. Alcoholism is not a disease. No one makes you drink, no one makes you keep drinking. ANy more that a heroine addict has a disease. Medicalizing things like drug and alcohol abuse is very dangerous in my view. It gives people an excuse to not own their own behavior. This is one of the reaons I do not agree with 12 step type programs. though they have good elements..addicts are essentially taught that they are sick..that they can't help it..that they will be "sick" all their lives and they have to manage it..much like diabetes. Problem is..addiction is nothing like diabetes. Addiction is a matter of pure will. People with diabetes cannot simply will their body to produce insulin. it is a ridiculous comparison. Addicts are people who through no one's fault but their own made bad decsions and drank to excess...or snorted coke...or shot up or what have you. lets call addicts what they really are..weak willed people who let their vices take ahold of them. if they stop doing coke, alcohol whatever..they will no longer be addicts and life will be fine. The psych ward is full of old crusty drunks who go there for free "anxiety" medication..then go out take their pills and drink..all cuz you can bill insurance companies under the diagnosis of "alcohol dependence"
 
A

Animal

I eat red meat
The American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Hospital Association, the American Public Health Association, the National Association of Social Workers, the World Health Organization and the American College of Physicians all consider and classify alcoholism as a disease - a biopsychosocial disease with a strong genetic influence, obvious signs and symptoms, a natural progression and a fatal outcome if not treated.
 
morningbell

morningbell

hmmmmmm
So alcoholism is NOT a disease but what happens as a result of being an alcoholic (the body breaking down in various stages, liver, heart, what have you) that is the disease?

Once you have reached a certain point when you're constantly drinking it becomes a death sentence where your next drink could be your last even if it's one.
In the beginning, you start to drink, find you need more and more to become intoxicated. Once this becomes your life (as an alcoholic) you hit a hump, the point of no return so to speak. On the other side it's a slippery slope to death. If you stop drinking at this point, no matter how long you go without, the next time you pick up a drink, it could be your last, not because you won't stop, but because your body could shut down, it can't handle it.

With that said, as an alcoholic on the downside of the slippery slope, would that mean it's a serious condition and not a disease?
 
kwillia

kwillia

n/a
Animal said:
The American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Hospital Association, the American Public Health Association, the National Association of Social Workers, the World Health Organization and the American College of Physicians all consider and classify alcoholism as a disease - a biopsychosocial disease with a strong genetic influence, obvious signs and symptoms, a natural progression and a fatal outcome if not treated.
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I love it when you talk clinical...:smoochy:
 
vraiblonde

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
Animal said:
The American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Hospital Association, the American Public Health Association, the National Association of Social Workers, the World Health Organization and the American College of Physicians all consider and classify alcoholism as a disease - a biopsychosocial disease with a strong genetic influence, obvious signs and symptoms, a natural progression and a fatal outcome if not treated.
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Then all addictions must be diseases as well, right?
 
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