So I got my copy of Jack Trimpey's The Small Book yesterday. I read something in it that made me think of this thread. He says that the term alcoholism is actually a philosophy and that the correct term is alcohol dependent. He says most ISM's are philosophies, such as stoicism, capitalism, communism, Catholicism etc. Alcoholism comes with all these assumptions and beliefs attached to recovery. Alcohol dependence on the other hand implies that one can simply become independent.
I just love reading Jack Trimpey. He's such a clever man and he makes so much sense, he has such a wonderful way with words.