no because people who are alcoholics and drug addicts have brought it on themselves and to say its a disease when there are lots of people suffering from serious illnesses is just a joke in my opinion

I think that it is definitly a problem for some people but not necessarily a disease. Most people can quit if they have enough will power. You cant say that about Cancer or AIDS.

Yes. I do however perfectly understand why others say it's not. the problem is that a large part of alcoholism is mentally - they can't *understand* how they can live without alcohol. I've seen severe cases of alcoholism. It's far from pretty, and many (not all) do want to quit, but they cannot. Some may argue that anyone can if they really try hard enough, but that comes from an unenlightened position, without experience of it. I myself have admittedly never suffered from it either, I've only seen it second-hand. To me, it has the same stigma that many mental diseases currently have. If there is no physical problem (e.g. cancer, appendicitis), people argue that it's not a disease. However, it prevents people from living their lives in a normal way, they have problems functioning, both mentally, physically, emotinally and socially. To say it's not a disease because it is self-inflicted is wrong - is lung cancer after 20 years smoking therefore not a disease? I've actually got to go and eat now, so my answer is incomplete, but comment and I'll edit. I'm prepared for the - s.

Yes and no. As after as it been like cancer or something no, but it is cripling. I allways get that needing feeling and have come close to using alot. My mom is an alcoholic and honestly I thing if she stoped drinking her body would go into shock she has drank for so long. But it is something that if you want to over come you can. You will never be with out temtation but you can live with out it.

For Alcohol - Yes, in the case of fetal alcohol syndrome. Those babies didn't "choose" to be born that way. That also falls in the catagory of babies being born "drug addicted". For Drugs - Yes for Meth and Heroin, studies have shown you can become addicted the first time you smoke it or inject it. Mental/Depressive Disorders - "addiction" can be a cause or a side effect of particular disorders.

Yes both make physical changes in the brain. Second addiction stems usually from other 'problems' like stress, depression, anxiety, etc. Most users/drinkers are self medicating (treating other ills) and the process of self treating makes a new illness to deal with.

i do not. this is because, with some disease, there is no cure and with drugs and alcohol, there is always a chance to stop and it takes will power to stop. will power does not cure diseases.

Definitely! It is the way ones mind works and their thought process. Which may not be a disease but the recovery from such is much like you would with a disease.

Alcoholism is NOT a disease, it's an addiction. From the Mirriam - Webster online dictionary: --------------------------------------------------- Addiction - Compulsive need for, and use of, a substance characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal. Disease - A condition of the living animal or plant body, or one of it's parts that impairs normal functioning and is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms Alcoholism - A: a poisoning by alcohol. B: a chronic disorder marked by excessive and usually compulsive drinking of alcohol leading to psychological and physical dependence or addiction. --------------------------------------------------- YOU CAN QUIT. No matter what. It all boils down to willpower. It's just like saying you're overweight because obesity is a disease. NO! You're overweight because you're too lazy to exercise. I am/was an alcoholic, and I am overweight. But I DON'T claim that my problems are caused by an uncontrollable force that refuses to let me stop drinking or lose weight. Calling alcoholism a disease is just an excuse not to quit.

Yes. Predisposition (genetically) to alcoholism would support alcoholism as a disease, not just a 'weak will' focused on alcohol. We do know that neurological and psychiatric disorders, (including schizophrenia, alcoholism, and Parkinson's disease) are associated with changes in the brain that affect the nerves that communicate with each other through dopamine. Alcohol affects the brains of these people in a way that is different from non-alcoholics. A more comprehensive study of the proteins that carry the dopamine neuron communicating genes (and gene mutations) needs to be done to further pinpoint the physiological cause.

Yes addiction is a brain disease. Although many people do not grasp a basic understanding of what that means. Although initial drug use might be voluntary, once addiction develops, control is disrupted. In many instances the neurological brain structure is altered, which means this is going to affect behavior and the actual processes of thought. For the average meth addict it is never something as easy as simple will power. Meth rewires the brain circuitry, how it sends and receives information and the natural dopamine receptors which reward us and make us feel good about things we should feel good about basically get shut off because meth releases about 100 times the amount of dopamine normally realeased from the brain at any given time. If your brain is getting more dopamine from another source than it needs, and in this case extremely more, then it won't produce any naturally even long after the drug and all its effects are non-existent in the body. This makes it almost impossible to feel happy or pleasure from anything other than the dopamine rush produced by the drug. The user becomes depressed, irritable, violent, even suicidal and homocidal. So once addiction sets in, and it usually sets in very quickly with meth, then the user is no longer using for the high, he's using just to feel normal and ok. This goes well beyond simple will power.

i belive that alcohol is a desease. after watching my boyfriend of 20 years battle alcoholism for a long time i could see in his face how much he hated himself but he still continued to drink. after being in the hospital for 15 days he has been sober for almost 18 months but it is a constant battle. i believe that drugs are a addiction that occurs after putting them into your system.

No they are mental problems, they can't be caught by being in the presence of someone with them.

Yes. Just because we bring it on by our own choices this doesn't make them not a disease. The same can be said of cancer, diabites, and heart disease. There is even strong evidence that some people have a genetic proclivity towards these diseases. I also think they are treatable and know of many people who have won the battle against them.

No- I believe its a sympmtom of something greater. Addicitve beahaviours often run in families- by either genetics or learning. Addiction to any substance, be it food,shopping, alcohol or drugs, is a sign of discontent and frustration with your circumstance- possibly self loathing. America treats the symptoms most often because its easier and quicker than uncovering and addressing the underlying cause.

No. Some people are just weak.

Norovirus and HIV are diseases. I don't think you can catergorize alcoholism as the same. However, I believe like heart disease, alcoholism can have a tendency to be linked in the genes. I think it needs to be labeled something differently than being called a disease.

Addiction is not a disease at all. Most of the time, the root cause of addictions are spiritual in nature. Pls visit http://www.spiritualresearchfoundation.org/spiritualresearch/mentalhealth/

It's a weakness not a disease someone very close to me is in N.A and that disease thing is an excuse to take the blame off addicts so that they feel less guilt and it's easier to gain sobriety when there is a vaccine for it I'll call it a disease.

yes, its a mental disease If you think addiction isnt a disease then depression and aniexty, arent either

No, not a disease. You choose to have a drink. You don't choose cancer.

no.....alcoholism is a problem you either create or avoid

no, i've dealt with first hand addiction and it's not in any way a disease. 100% of the blame goes to lack of will power and self control.

Alcoholism has successfully been treated with diet and vitamin therapy. I was trying to find an article instead of me sounding insane as always.. here is just one to explain what I believe.. maybe not the best one, I merely scanned it http://www.doctoryourself.com/alcoholism.html

Yes without a doubt!

In my opinion, yes it is.

I believe so...

My only problem with that statement is that someone can be fired from there job for drug abuse but if it is truely a disease then why arn't drug addicts classified and protected under the ADA?

I think it is. Looking up the definition of "disease", it seems to be true.

I'm not sure.Wouldn't that imply that anyone with any addiction has a disease. Is smoking classed as a disease or an addiction?

In my opinion no it is a bad habit that can very easily get out of control.

No, for you are not born with it, even if your parents were heavy drinkers and they gave you a bit when you were little. This disease issue is something the doctors and medical personnel fabricated to make more money. It benefits them more than it helps us. It is just another excuse, and we don't need any more of those.

Yes it is. The body is out of control, it's in a state of dis-ease. It requires treatment, not only in the form of abstinence, but also in getting to the root of the problem. I haven't found research to say so, but anecdotal evidence would suggest that it may be a genetic thing, or that it stems from other diseases of the mind like depression and chronic anxiety.

no... its a cure for an unknown disease/curse

No, I don't think it qualifies as a disease in the way I think of diseases.

I wouldn't say it was a disease. It think it may be a form of mental sickness where one is looking for an escape from reality and becomes dependent on it to give them the releif from it which they desire.

I have a theory. EVERYONE has a chemical imbalance of some kind. It's all a matter of balancing it out with the right chemical. Alcoholics picked the wrong chemical. So, a disease? I don't think it is...a problem? Definitely!

Since you're asking for my opinion, no, I don't think it's a disease. My father was an alcoholic, and even though he was like that, I never viewed him as having some sort of a disease. I don't know anyone who's addicted to drugs, but I'd say that it's also not a disease.

I have heard each referred to as a disease..of course each is self-inflicted..one has to be proactive, reach out and ingest/imbibe/whatever. You can't "catch" it from others, although there may be a genetic component to it. If someone has a predisposition or "weakness" when it comes to alcohol, one can simply not drink anything alcoholic. The taking of any kind of "leisure" drug seems to me like asking for trouble. I think of "disease" as something big like cancer..there are many different kinds and most of them are mysterious in that there is no one thing that caused it. We know what causes alcoholism and drug addiction..so we can avoid them! :)

no... but I do think people have addicting personalities, or a type of personality flaw that makes them more prone to take drugs or alcohol. I think that is sometimes genetic. myself included, but I made myself stop. anyone who forces themselves to stop, CAN. If it wasn't why do they alway say, the only way an addict can get better, is if they want to? it IS about willpower, once you get over the physical withdrawls anyway. Also I think it is circumstantial as well. If you grow up around it, you'll be more prone to it as well. Oh no, here goes the downgrading.

Disease because of physiological dependency and/or predispositon. Can be controlled, but not cured.

I don't think it starts out a as a disease but it turns in to one over time.

Deseases result addiction and bad for health

I am a little biased, but i look at it as a personal weakness, not something you're born with or acquire genetically, but i'm sure someone's research would oppose that statement. All i know is that none of my four grndparents were alcoholics, and both my parents are, maybe it skips a generation or something??? But i don't look at it as a disease necessarily, by my definition of disease anyway.

not a disease but a way of lifestyle that can seem impossible to get away from

It is an addiction not a disease

It is an addiction but it can have symtoms of a disease but at least you can go cold turkey and get rid of it for good.

That's a good excuse.

I do not have personal experience but from what I have read and understand not only is it a medical condition it can also be genetic.

Yes. But it can be avoided by never drinking at all. If I had a history of alcoholism in my family, I would probably never touch the stuff.

Yes, it is.

I know people are going to disagree, but i think 'alcoholism' is widely over given as a problem. A lot of alcoholics, blame their problems on alcoholism and i do not agree with it. But i do think, it can be a genetic problem, to be especially sensitive to co-dependency on a substance.

Yes, however alcoholism is over diagnosed. Dependency issues are generally caused by other underlying issues. Resolve those issues, and the alcoholism might just correct its self.