I have had a hard time coming to terms with alcoholism being a disease also, however, i think a lot of that stems from the fact that i DO NOT have a problem with alcohol...my husband said last week that he kept drinking because he kept trying to find what was a the bottom of the bottle...i immediantly replied "the top of another one" which apparently came off callous to him maybe it was just a little too truthful too soon...i think that alcoholism CAN be a disease...he comes from a family of alcoholics...2 in recovery and 2 in denial...however..i also think that alcoholism can also easily become a crutch for inexcusable behavior...he used to act out (after downing at least a case of bud light and God knows what kind of pills) and the next afternoon when he had sobered up blame his problem with alcohol and drugs for the verbal and emotional abuse i had taken the night before BUT was totally unwilling to change the behavior and so the vicious cycle would start again....