I loved reading this thread. I have been thinking a lot about alcoholism this week.
I think I have a strong genetic predisposition to alcoholism and lots of emotional pain from childhood trauma. I never drank moderately. As a teenager, I started with excessive drinking to try to obliterate reality/pain. I initially quit very young and have not drank much in my life, so I am intrigued by the huge problem I developed this past year (2 periods of relapsing and lots of cravings/urges). I do think alcohol has a particular effect in my brain- different from social drinkers, because I have so few negative physical side effects from drunkenness (hangovers, nausea). I also tried pot several times and had no real interest in it.
Both my parents drank a lot.
I'm not sure how I would define disease so I am not sure if alcoholism is a disease. However, I think genetic predisposition and environment/nurturing/exposure are factors in most or all diseases.