Robzoloft

In your opinion is alcoholism and addiction a disease or not? If it is...why are the consequences fior manifesting symptoms of our disease so severe? Why isn't every fat f*** diabetic arrested for eating a doughnut? Why isn't every cancer patient who still smokes pulled over and locked up? These people cost society...why is it we alcoholics are the only ones who are regularly punished and ostracized in every way for simply manifesting symptoms of our disease...every morning at the diner near my house I see morbidly obese people shoving bacon in their mouths with impunity....nobody arrests them for endangering the public...isn't it possible they might lose consciousness while driving due to a diabetic attack? Are they arrested for EWD...driving while eating like we're arrested for DWI.....f*** no they're not. Is it a f****** disease or not god******!!!!!!!!!!! If it is....why aren't we treated like it is.....................F***

Rowan

Alcoholism is a disease. MY focus remains on MY disease - if I begin to focus on what's around me instead, and harbour resentment against others for their situations/choices etc I am in trouble.

Good to see you again, Rob.

adore79

I dont know.

JockLarcher

We know that by drinking we are courting shameful behaviour. We know that by drinking we can immediately threaten the wellbeing of others.
We must take responsibilty for what we know of ourselves.

flutter

I'm pretty sure I wouldn't kill anyone or lose my job for eating one too many donuts.. but that's just me. I would imagine alcohol related expenses ($$, victims of violence, drunken driving incidents, etc) to society are more severe than the care of diabetics and cancer patients, but I dont know.

That to me, sounds like a way of rationalizing the "symptoms" of such "disease". The symptoms of our disease have some pretty serious ramifications for others, not just our health or well being. I know illnesses in general cause an impact on society, diseases, yes. I'm an alcoholic, I will treat and monitor that. I'm not here to judge.

The definition of disease is not clear, it is not restrictive per se, and it isn't an excuse for anything more than perhaps a more successful treatment plan.

lizw

In my country alcoholism and addiction are recognised as diseases in the mental health arena

jurneyman

Why, because people who are overeating are only hurting themselves. The major difference is, those who are driving drunk, Alcoholic or not, not only can hurt themselves but kill or destroy the lives of others. One of the reasons for and the benefit's of DUI
arrests is to get the drunk driver into treatment to find out if he is an Alcoholic and treat his disease.

flutter

In the US as well, in the DSM IV as a psychological diagnosis.

edit: which was recently reclassified into 1. Alcohol Abuse and 2. Alcohol Dependance, both with separate diagnostic criteria.

Mattcake

Interesting... I know a diabetic who was initially diagnosed as such after passing out while driving, after eating a sugar-laden breakfast. Several people were seriously injured in that accident.

Since then, she carefully monitors what she eats, and doesn't wonder about the nature of her condition. She simply does what she needs to do. BTW I wish I had the same attitude as she does

RK2007

I don't think it matters what you call it, that's probably just another trendy label anyway. I could call a piece of fruit a life-jacket and if I manage to get enough people to agree with me, then it becomes a life-jacket.

It's the effects that you can't argue with - it's nasty whatever it calls itself these days, in the past or in the future.

For me, it's not a disease but I can understand if people want to call it that. But whatever it is, it's a killer. But it can be beat.

Butterflywings

RobZoloft, Yes alcoholism is a disease. It's a disease of the mind, and an allergy of the body. The alcohol itself is just the symptom of the problem. As far as obese people, that's usually an addiction to. In most cases both are treated with the same 12 steps. Alcohol will kill me and lead me down a path to destruction. Food would allow me to hurt myself, a lot less statistics of obese people hurting others. However, alcoholics/addicts run the risk of hurting or killing countless others, getting DUI's, getting arrested for stupid things that we do when ONLY under the influence. The way I see it there is a chapter in the Big Book on Acceptance, sounds like you may need to read it. We have to accept our problem in order to even want to change it!!

Celebration1994

I believe that alcoholism is a disease, as is cancer and diabetes. I have all three of these diseases. I still do drive and I know should I have an accident, and caused injury to someone or something, that I would be ticketed and held accountable if it was my fault. Should I pass out and run a light because of my blood sugar being low, I would receive the ticket, and the same with cancer or alcohol. I also suffer the consequences of being restricted to NO night driving because of the toll the diseases have taken on my eyes. So in my opinion, I feel the consequences are there to protect me and others from harm. So I guess I can only say to you that in my opinion...alcoholics aren't singled out, unless drinking and driving. Back in the day of my drinking I spent many a night in the drunk tank...today they take them to the hospital er where they let them detox, and offer treatment....not referring to DUI's just for walking around drunk. So we have changed a wee bit about accepting alcoholism as an illness instead of inappropriate social behavior.

My only question to you is that you sound a bit angry in your post...why??

Taking5

Actually, they are. I have a friend that had this happen to him and he severely injured someone while driving in a diabetic blackout. He got 2 years in jail and lost his drivers license for 5 years.

And yes, alcoholism is a disease. There is no reputable medical organization that proffers otherwise.