readerbaby71

LOLLLLLLLLLLL! Well put.

TheEnd

True...those are the rare exceptions I would say though. Whatever your concept is doesn't matter, just don't drink and do what works for you!!!

RobbyRobot

Sure they can, and do indirectly all the time when alcoholism destroys not only the drinker but the core family of the drinker too. I'm thinking of the spouse, the dependant children, and so on. Alcoholism is not confined to only the life of the drinker, imo. There are plenty of examples. SR here it self has several forums dedicated to those who suffer from the alcoholism of others who drink. I don't mean to be argumentative here, just saying.

soberhawk

I think we can change and avoid be affected by alcoholism.

Whether it is a disease or not is not important to me – it is not something we need to be victim of; we can change.

1newcreation

The AMA certified its a disease. Either way as others have mentioned it simply boils down to where do I go from here? Similar to seeing a doc; go for visit tell him my prob, then prescribes a med. can either go to pharmacy & pick it up & take as directed or pick it up, take it home but not take it or worse not go to pharmacy @ all

yeahgr8

The traditional medical model of disease requires only that an abnormal condition be present that causes discomfort, dysfunction, or distress to the individual afflicted.

I guess the AMA's basis to categorize alcoholism as a disease is because of the obvious changes in the brain. But if over half of the make up of an alcoholic is genetic then that, whatever it is, abnormality must already be present thus making alcoholism a disease.

As a lot of the medical profession consider it to be more of a sociological problem , I.e. More a mental illness then I guess alcoholism could be considered both a disease and an illness.

Very interesting!

So wtf would anyone be debating whether it is a disease or an illness when apparently it is both?

caboblanco

addiction is addiction..why do we need another classification..

the reason we need another classification is not because it fits into another classification

yeahgr8

Hang on a minute, I didn't know that the AMA has classified alcoholism as a disease because I live in the UK.

I've been reading posts on here that say AA and their disease theory is wrong but in fact AA, if they thought alcoholism was a disease, would be aligned with the AMA.

Why did no-one from the US bring this up before?

So anyone who thinks they are an alcoholic, who doesn't agree with the AMA, and thinks it's just a bad habit to break is as likely to believe that paranoid schizophrenia is such a bad habit and can be broken?!

Now it's on:-)

caboblanco

That doesn't make any sense yeah...not any at all ...but i do like your posts...my good friend is schizophrenic

yeahgr8

What I mean is that according to the AMA both alcoholism and paranoid schizophrenia are diseases. So if I believe that one is not a disease, even though the AMA says it is, then why should I believe that the other is a disease.

Now I know that paranoid schizophrenia is not a bad habit and it is a disease so having said that, and assuming I have trusted the information I have got from a medical body like the AMA to come to this conclusion, then I must believe that alcoholism is a disease. I would have to be quite mad to only accept classifications of a disease from a medical body like the AMA as and when my opinion "verified" this classification.

caboblanco

the ama is not only unreliable its motivated by factors other then science. Homosexuality was declassified as a mental disorder about 30 something years ago.

the biological factors that contribute to schizophrenia have not been identified. I do know that habit and acute psychosis have no relation in this disorder and I did chuckle when you made that connection

Turninganewleaf

yeah, the AMA declared it a disease but it was politically correct to do so at the time. After some years, big buck rehabs started popping up everywhere & insurance would pay for 28 day programs. I suffer from selfishness not a disease.

freethinking

Obesity is also classified as a "disease" by the AMA...

caboblanco

are you asking that..because yes it is...lol but i'm not obese.

yeahgr8

Ah so the AMA is wrong to classify alcoholism as a disease but right with most of it's other classifications. Looking it from another country I would be more inclined to believe a medical body like AMA than someone's personal opinion.

In fact these debates are like me going to a specialist who diagnoses me with cardiovascular disease then coming here and describing my symptoms only to be told the doctors wrong and all I need to do is just eat better?! Cardiovascular "disease" lol

caboblanco

just a funny diddle..don't my British friends like to belittle and criticize American culture and politics.as a sport (iv'e been there).why would you give a pass to something like the ama? Is it because there are European born delegates on the panel?

freethinking

Wow, I find this surprising. Not wrong...but I usually don't find people who are that trusting of American associations that take stands on political issues.

matrac

I think that many people are reluctant to call it a disease because a conscious choice is made to take that first drink. However, the physical tolerance and craving for addictive substances, and the psychological and physical symptoms associated with its use and with it's withdrawal syndrome are what truly make it a disease in my mind.

yeahgr8

I think the competition between English and Americans is alive and well, some of it healthy and some of it not so much!

Politically it's all the same to me and as for sports I never understood watching a bunch of guys running around and sitting there commenting on how fit the guys were this year, not for British or American sport. Just seems a bit weird but that's just me.

We have the NHS over here like your AMA kind of and if someone in England turned round and rubbished something from the NHS as not true they would be, at best, seen as a person not to listen to on medical subjects.

I'm not a doctor so why would I think that I know better than the NHS?

caboblanco

just on a side note on a government study the idea that alcoholism as not a disease was the stance of over 80% of reviewed physicians also..but that doesn't mean they said peep about that to their addict patients