Why do people call alcoholism a disease, when it's actually a choice?

Question

Malaria is a disease; alcoholism is a behavior.

Answer 1

My Dad grew up in an alcoholic family. He Chose not to want that lifestyle. He chose not to drink. He chose not to become an alcoholic. His sister chose that same lifestyle. She chose to drink. She chose to become an alcoholic. I'm not saying that the choices are easy, but there are still choices to be made. The disease part comes later-- from all the side effects.  

Answer 2

This pisses me off. How is alcohol legal and marijuana not legal. Someone high on weed doesn't feel like going home and beating the **** out of their wife/girlfriend like someone would on alcohol. If marijuana, h**l, drugs in general were legal domestic violence and crime in would plummet past the altitude of my d**k. Would you rather have a government handing out drugs (and treatment/abuse treatment) to someone for free rather than spending billions in the legal system and locking them up for going out to your house and robbing you/killing you/ raping your family, your kids, your wife for money to support their habits? If it were up to me I'd choose the legality of every drug. Why are American law makers a bunch of r****d a******s and forget the fact that prohibition does not work? I know why..... This drug war is a scam. Its all about following the green people, get used to it America.

Answer 3

Alcoholism IS a disease.  The drinking part is a symptom of the disease....same with drug use.  Let me see if I can find some fact for you....

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Question: Is Alcoholism a Disease?

Answer: Yes. Alcoholism is a chronic, often progressive disease with symptoms that include a strong need to drink despite negative consequences, such as serious job or health problems. Like many other diseases, it has a generally predictable course, has recognized symptoms, and is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors that are being increasingly well defined. (See also Alcohol Alert No. 30: Diagnostic Criteria for Alcohol Abuse and Dependence.)

Answer 4

Some people have the genetic tendency to become addicted -- the brain is different for addicts, and different for addicts addicted to different things (for example a meth addict will have a different brain scan than an alcoholic, though there will be similarities).

Like something like diabetes, a person can either take care of themselves and have few symptoms or not take care of themselves and be very sick.  That is the choice.  

Answer 5

It is a disease, yes it's a choice to pick up a drink and drink it but it's not really a choice when it comes to having a gene that is more susceptible to it.  If you have a family member who was an alcoholic it's more likely that you too will be dependable on it if you miss use it.  No one chooses es willingly to become an alcoholic.

Answer 6

It's a choice to become an alcoholic.

Answer 7

Not really, at first it is. But then your body gets addicted to it, and once your a late stage alcoholic you can die from not drinking one day. And you go through some wicked withdrawls.  

Answer 8

Alcoholism is the physical and/or psychological dependence on alcohol.  It is a disease, not a choice.

But yes, the disease is brought on by bad choices.  One may choose to abuse alcohol in a chronic fashion.  That is what ultimately causes the disease.  The alcoholic does not choose whether or not to become dependent; he only chose to drink heavily *before* he ever became dependent.

Answer 9

Cuz it is.

even if u choose to get into it you then still have a disease.

it may be controlled at first ..

but then it gets OUT of control.. thus calling it a disease.

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