why are people referring to alcoholism as a disease?

I think it is more a personality defect rather than a disease.

You certainly don't catch if from another person or contact with dirty door knobs.

Alcoholism is a condition which is caused by an abnormal physical reaction to alcohol. When an alcoholic ingests alcohol, he or she gets a craving for more, which increases as more alcohol is taken. This is a definable symptom. As time goes on, this abnormal reaction gets worse and worse (chronic), and if left untreated leads to death or wet brain. These factors have led to alcoholism being widely accepted as a disease.

Some alcoholics seem to be able to just quit, but others cannot. There is a mental twist which causes certain types of alcoholic to see alcohol as a solution to his or her feelings of unrest or anxiety, and they take a few drinks. These drinks spark off the craving for more and the whole cycle repeats itself.

Whether you call it a disease, a feeling of dis-ease (i.e not at ease), a condition or an illness is up to you. If you have a problem with the way other people refer to it, try not to worry about it too much, just do your best to accept it. Everybody has the right to be wrong.

Cheers,

J

Up until fairly recently homosexuality was still being classed as a disease. I don't think you have a choice it is how your brain works. Alcoholism seems to be much the same. Something in the brain just tells you to drink. It has little to do with how much you drink at any time it just seems to be a condition that you either get or you do not.

I think people refer to alcoholism as a disease of the mind - it seems to plague the brain with the fact that it's so addictive, and all the damage it can cause.

A combination of symptoms that causes mental and physical disorganization of the body is a disease. There is a Strong belief through research that alcoholism has some genetic componets in it that reinforce it to be a disease.

I believe a disease is something that is done to you. Alcoholism is something you do to yourself.