Hi babyo--
Whether you decide this is a disease or not a disease the way addiction changes a brain is well documented.
Alcoholism is a powerful, powerful addiction. The compulsion to drink is overwhelming - it overwhelms good sense, reason, fear, love, responsibility...it is a serious addiction and addiction pretty much steamrolls everything out of the way in order to be fed.
The book Under The influence by Milam & Ketcham gives a solid picture of what is going on physically as this addiction progresses.
"to me a disease is something that you would want to get rid right? Say, you had cancer or diabetes; you would do everything to help yourself to get well wouldn’t you? So if it is a disease then why don’t they all get help for it?"
Well actually many many people with diabetes or cancer are non-compliant with treatments that would help them. Many.
Just because you are certain of what YOU would do if you were an addict or a diabetic doesn't mean everyone thinks the same as you or even has the capacity or context to think the same thoughts that you do...
I mean, seriously, can you say truthfully that you are on top of all your problems in life? That you ask for and ACCEPT help for all your problems? I know I don't! I've kept myself in many a fine rut over the years!!! And the problem of addiction is much, much bigger than any problem I've ever had to confront.
I thank my lucky stars every day I am not an alocoholic like my brothers. Because my own problems are trouble enough for me, and if I had all the mess that addiction brings on top of that??? Yuk-o-la.
For me, I've just accepted that it is a FORCE. Disease, not disease, genetic, not genetic, doesn't matter. It is something, obviously, way too powerful for me to control! Once it has its hooks in the person it is the battle of their life to get out. Some find a way. Some struggle to find a way and fail. Some do not even try to find a way.
What I learned in AlAnon was that focusing on these unanswerable questions instead of on my own problems and my own goals for growth was making me crazy and holding me back!!
Peace,
B.