Originally Posted by Turninganewleaf

I use to sit in rehabs and get lectured about how I have a disease. But, in the real world people were not treating me like I was sick. They were treating me as if I was a criminal. No one seemed to give me any compassion. I became the stereotype of an alcoholic. And I still hold a lot of resentment towards the rehab folks who insisted I would be treated as if I was sick. My spiritual solution is all I have left. It contradicts the disease concept. And if it doesn't work, I am going to die.

Originally Posted by Turninganewleaf

Tamer, yes it does matter. Because people who believe 100% that it is a disease are sooner or later going to be disappointed.
Some alcoholics I know tell everyone (even co-workers) that they are a "recovery alcoholic". Just imagine if the person your telling had a family member killed by drunken driving! Or imagine if they were robbed the week prior and the robber smelled of booze! Many alcoholics cross the line into criminal behavior. No other medical disease causes this behavior. The criminal type alcoholics give the bad image that some people embrace.