Alcoholism is not a Disease

I know I'm going to get many people disagreeing with me when I say I don't believe alcoholism is a disease. Most books on alcoholism tell us alcoholism is a disease. Another common phrase is that we're powerless over alcohol. Now that may be true. But does that make it a disease? I think not.

I consider a disease something we get in the form of a sickness that we can't do anything about. It wasn't our choice to get the disease. Drinking alcohol is a choice. We pick up a drink and drink it. If we're an alcoholic we know we shouldn't pick up the drink because our bodies don't handle alcohol in the same way as someone who doesn't have the alcoholic trait. But to call alcoholism a disease isn't correct.

According to Mirriam-Webster the definition of alcoholism is "a chronic disorder marked by excessive and usually compulsive drinking of alcohol leading to psychological and physical dependence or addiction." Yes, that I agree with. This is the definition of what alcoholism really is. I think the reason why so many people like using the term "disease" is that it lets them off the hook. Think about it. If I say I have a disease I'm not responsible for drinking too much at times or ruining the dinner party because I drank too much and started telling everyone what I really thought of them. No, it's not my fault. I HAVE A DISEASE. I get sympathy too when it's a disease. If everyone thinks I have a disease I'll get some slack.I get NO sympathy if I drink too much, drive drunk and crash the car and say "I'm sorry, I drank compulsively because I have a chronic disorder."

I say let's call alcoholism what it really is. And it's not a disease.