Originally Posted by
keithj 
If the problem were as simple as a physical addiction, then a detox would be sufficient for recovery. Just get your body 'unused' to those things, and we'd all recover. Time spent without ingesting alcohol would be a cure.
My alcoholism centers in my mind. I have an obsession that I can't think my way out of.
Addiction is not just the physical aspect of using. I am not physically addicted to either marajuana or alcohol, but as the last 20+ years of self inflicted destruction clearly shows, I am addicted.
As for the whole disease vs addiction argument, it is one that I have pondered long and hard. I have allowed to to be a convienent excuse to stand in the way of my recovery. I guess the conclusion I have reached is it is basically an arguement over semantics. If calling it a disease makes it more helpful to your recovery, than so be it. Conversly having to "admit you are diseased" is harmful to your recovery, and thinking of it as an addiction is more helpful, than that is the correct path. At the end of the day what you are dealing with is a problem. All a problem needs is a solution, the tricky part is finding the solution that works for you. BTW I include myself in the collective "you".!!