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Alcoholism is a Weakness - Not a Disease

by Big Mike
(Virginia)

Alcoholism as well as addiction to anything is a weakness, not a disease.

Everyone I've met throughout my entire 56 years on this planet that have been or still is an alcoholic or drug abuser has an underlining reason why they started drinking heavily to begin with.

I just lost a very good friend of mine of over 40 years. Richy, instead of expressing his emotions during a crises such as a death in the family he would turn to the bottle. His alcoholism eventually killed him.

When Richy was 16, his father passed away after a losing battle with leukaemia. His brother Steve died several years later, then his son was killed in a wreck, then his mom died. Richy never ever shed a single tear during any of those crises. Instead he’s turn to the bottle for his comfort.

For as long as I’ve known Richy, he was almost never w/o a beer or drink. He’d go to work (sober) and get drunk when he was at home. His wife was in denial for many years.

Don’t get me wrong, I partied really hard as well in my youth. However during a breakup with a girl friend or the death of a family member, I’d express my grief or deal with it w/o getting drunk or high.

My current girl friend, her father is an alcoholic. He as with Richy, instead of dealing with whatever life sends his way, he’d escape(?) into the bottle.

I’ve met various other people throughout my life that were drunks or drug addicts and every single one of them had some underlining reason for turning to the bottle or drug.

The many diseases that come from the weakened immune system because of the abuse are many.
However alcoholism / drug addiction a disease, no way. If we were to believe alcoholism / drug addiction is a disease, then how about sex addicts, or any other vices people are consumed with are all these to be construed as a disease as well, where does it end?
Shal ' aam
AAPiY
Mike

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Totally a weakness NEW
by: Anonymous

It is absolutely a weakness. I have alcoholism on both sides of my family. Half my father's siblings are alcoholics. One quit(my aunt) after going to AA. AA is a basically a cult by the way that convinces you are powerless over alcohol.(That's a different rant tho. I have an alcohol problem myself and was basically an alcoholic for many years. Until I went to a bar sober once and was shocked that everyons wasn't annihilated(like I assumed everyone else was when I was wasted)

That was my eye opener. I smartened up alot after that. I still have a hard time stopping drinking whenever I do have any; Because it's so damn fun! I'm always the guy that stays up til the end of the party.

And to give perspective on how much I drank. I know alot of people way crazier and drank alot more. But basically every Friday or saturday when I was a teenager I would drink a 26 of rum or whiskey or vodka. I once finished a 26 in 2 mixed drinks ( I had a cold so I couldn't taste a thing) . I have a cousin who drank a Texas Mickey in one night. An alcoholic female cousin who literally chugged entire 26's of vodka in one go, and she weighs maybe 100 lbs. Incredible really.

But anyway. I don't remember alot of my younger fun times cuz I was blacked out most weekends. A few occasions I was so drunk I literally thought there was people with me when there wasn't. For example : I came home one night. Drunk. Turned on The tv. Started chatting with my "buddies" (my vision was so fucked up I couldn't see very well) after I realized my friends weren't responding, I focussed around the room and realized I was alone. "Oh yeah, Right. I came home alone". This happened sometimes.

Anyway major rant. Super bored. Wrote this on my phone so apologize if there's errors.

Anyone can stop drinking if they have enough will power. We are humans and have free will. If people can will their heartbeats to slow down to several beats per minute , surely people are able to have a drink or two then stop. I just find that the ones who aren't able to stop are the ones you would expect to not be able to( ie. They are kinda morons)That's harsh but I don't think I'm too far off. Or rather they don't tend to demonstrate a great amount of self control, hence not putting the bottle down.

I don't need to bring it here but I will. Hell, even many paedophiles are able to restrain themselves. And sexual needs are innate in humans. Alcohol isnt innate

Ok I'm done. Thanks for reading this.

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Alcoholism is not a disease NEW
by: Anonymous

Alcoholism and addictions ARE weaknesses, NOT a disease. A disease is a biological change in the body that makes a person ill. Cancer is a disease. There is no biological changes in the body that causes a person to be an alcoholic or addict. Yes, a lot of people get angry when it is called a weakness because they don't want to fact that fact. Calling it a disease excuses their CHOICE not to control themselves.

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drunks are sick people NEW
by: Anonymous

wtf is the difference, disease, weakness of flesh listen I was a drunk for 32 hard yrs so yes my opinion counts. here goes alcohol is a flesh disease period. Some people cant drink period, there's a allergic reaction when I take a drink that I cant shutoff until im loaded and normally I black out after 15 drinks or so...So who gives a ratsazz about semantics don't pick up the first one and it's completely powerless over you period so yes it's also a weakness and a sin to God..Pray and God himself Jesus will deliver you, drink and you die a little everyday....

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Agree
by: Anonymous

I grew up with people who were alcoholics and it is definitely a WEAKNESS. It became a disease when the doctors called it a disease so insurance companies would cover their recovery with insurance. I drank a lot as a young adult but only on weekends and I was sad many times and drank because of it but also turned to God in prayer to help me. I don't drink at all now and have known relatives who quit cold turkey when told they could die from it soon. Just like smoking, drugs and eating, it's a weakness if you overdo it.
We all have weaknesses and have to WANT to control them.

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Semantics
by: Anonymous

Is it a weakness? Yes, just as being obese or having OCD or hypertension or, etc...Alcoholism has nothing to do with moral fiber or character. Is it a disease? Not sure- the American Medical Ass. seems to think so. In any event, it is a malady centered in the brain. Call it insanity, mental disorder, depression, etc...Comparing it to sex addiction or other behavioral issues is not really pertinent. Sex addiction doesn't have a biological component- it doesn't degenerate your organs or give you withdrawal symptoms. Alcoholism seems to be a mental disorder that manifests itself through the consumption of alcohol. Drinking is a choice, BUT for the alcoholic that choice is an affected one- IE: it's not the same choice as a non-alcoholic. I'm an alcoholic and these are just my opinions. If it isn't a medical issue on some level- mental, physical, cellular...then what is it? If you really think about it, everything is chemical, cellular. What is "character", "strength", "weakness"? If depression (sadness) is accepted scientifically, why shouldn't alcoholism? Strange where the lines are drawn on such things. That's my 2c.

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I understand
by: Anonymous

I understand your point of view. But the truth of the matter is that addiction, in any form, is by definition a disease. I know it's difficult to fathom this concept if your a non-addict, and it takes some families years to truly understand. I hope that you will investigate this line of thought on your own, and don't go by your observations and experience... No matter how much material you have. The truth is, this is a worldwide problem that has killed millions upon millions of people. People that are hard working, determined, and strong willed... But will power has nothing to do with it. A problem this specific cannot intelligently be entered as simply human weakness. Alcoholism is cunning, baffling, and powerful.... Please encourage those that are sick, instead of calling them weak. God Bless. :)

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No.
by: Anonymous

You are an idiot. Alcoholism is anything but a moral weakness. Yes, people choose to begin drinking. But the decision to stop drinking is one that some people are GENETICALLY incapable of doing. I hope you realize one day how ignorant and dumb this article made you sound.

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Disease or not a disease
by: Greg A

The classification of alcohol addiction as a disease serves the purpose of compelling insurance carriers to cover treatment costs. I can't imagine them paying to treat "weakness of character".

The disease classification also helps alcoholics avoid self-blame and the resulting self loathing by placing the cause of the excessive drinking on a an illness, rather than on the indivual.

My personal experince with alcohol addiction is that it began when I was 15. When I took a little bit out of all of the bottles in the big, fancy booze cabinet and mixed them together with Coco Cola, I felt good about myself for the first time in my life. I had discovered a cure for my deep self hatred.

Whether it's truly a disease or not, eventually I was unable to stop, regardless of consequences. Alcohol was the "medicine" that enabled me to cope with the traumatic stresses caused by sadistic and brutal parents.

Was it a weakness that I couldn't live without it over extended periods of time? Perhaps, but the problem is that I experienced major depression episodes when I quit that the nearly killed me. It's entirely possible that alcohol saved my life for a time.

Even AA recognizes that drinking is only a symptom deeper problems that need to be addressed--like in my case. I've been diagnosed as having both Bipolar 3 disorder and ADD. Reading up on these disorders has increased my ability to abstain from alcohol and treat these disorders properly--NOT DRINKING.

So is alcohol addiction a disease? Frankly, I don't give a damn. I know what I need to to now.

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Thanks for sharing
by: C-P

Mike, you raise some valid points. The thing is, it's not about what gets someone drinking. It's the fact that they can't control it once they start.
That's what separates an alcoholic from a non-alcoholic. A non-alcoholic may through grief turn to alcohol like your friend did. But at some point he'll be able to stop and get himself back on track. He has that control over his drinking. An alcoholic will lose that control and keep going because the need to continue to drink will be so overwhelming. That's when it becomes a disease, you lose control over it. But like I always say, at the end of the day whether it's a disease or not shouldn't matter. Getting help and treatment for it is the exact same in either case.
Thanks for your input.

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