Will knowing whether alcoholism is a disease change anything? Will it improve your life? Make your partner's unacceptable behavior more acceptable? Make you less angry or your relationship less strained?
This topic has been discussed over and over again on this forum and we've never been able to come to a group concensus. All I know is that alcohol took a hold of my boyfriend--mind, body, and soul. His life spiraled out of control and he fell into an abyss that he was incapable of escaping. On several occassions, he tried to take his life back, but his alcoholism proved to be too powerful. It robbed him of his health, his sanity, his job, his home, his friends, and his family. And when that wasn't enough, it robbed him of his life.
It doesn't matter to me whether alcoholism is a disease or not. It won't bring Richard back and it won't change anything. It robbed Richard of everything and it robbed me of the only man I've ever loved. And when there was nothing left to take from Richard, it moved on to it's next victim.
The only victory I can claim in our joint battle against alcoholism is that with the help of Alanon and SR, I was able to get healthy and take control of my life. But that didn't happen until I stopped focusing on others and started focusing on myself.