From the AMA
"The American Medical Association has given formal recognition to the disease concept since 1956. Their recognizing alcoholism and other drug addiction as an illness implies several things:
- The illness can be described.
- The course of the illness is predictable and progressive.
- The disease is primary – that is, it is not just a symptom of some other underlying disorder.
- It is permanent.
- It is terminal. If left untreated, it results in insanity or premature death."
I think because of neurobiological mechanisms; gene expression, brain metabolic activity, receptor availability and so on, addiction can be aptly named a brain disease. I don't so much ascribe to the powerlessness aspects as much as I believe one ability to make proper choices can be impaired due to fundamental changes within the brain. With greater lengths of abstinence the brain dose seem to rebound and yet relapse is still possible even though the probability of doing so is likely diminished.
suki44883