Poll: Alcoholism

[wewontdie11]

I was recently having a discussion with a couple of members of my family on the topic of alcoholism. Needless to say, given my family's debating skills, this discussion got nowhere. So I come to you, The Escapist, seemingly the last bastion of logical thought that I have access to.

The exact details of the aforementioned discussion were concerning alcoholism's legitimacy as a disease. I recognise that it is seen by most health organisations as a proper medical condition, but do you think something such as simply drinking too much can be treated in the same manner as other disorders, such as schizophrenia or dementia?

I am aware of a few people that have little to no sympathy for those with addictions to whichever poison they take, saying that they knew the substance was bad for them, and they shouldn't have started consuming it in the first place. Do you believe this to be the case?

Also what in your opinion constitutes an alcoholic? I query this because my friends constantly joke that I have a drinking problem, but I wonder if there may be some substance to their jest.

Do you judge by units consumed per week? Do you take into account mitigating personal circumstances when diagnosing a person? Or if somebody drinks more than x number of pints a week are they automatically an alcoholic?

 

[axia777]

Treat them but do not enable them. Give them help but not pity. That is all a person can really do. Getting real help is up the Alcoholic.

 

[wewontdie11]

Your poll is a little bias. There's no option for it not being a disease and not deserving of treatment.
But I do agree that alchoholism is not a disease. A disease can be spread. It is definitely an ailment, and a dependency, but not a disease.

Yea I hit enter by mistake, stupid me, but I put in an edit until I had rectified the poll.

Hope that is more to your satisfaction?

 

[Hunde Des Krieg]

Jesus Gerald Christ! No offence to the topic, but how many bloody topics can we have in one night? All are on the "serious" matters, and all have got people thinking. Can we just give the philosophy a rest? Just tonight, just for a second?

quick escape the escapist it is your only hope!

 

[wewontdie11]

Jesus Gerald Christ! No offence to the topic, but how many bloody topics can we have in one night? All are on the "serious" matters, and all have got people thinking. Can we just give the philosophy a rest? Just tonight, just for a second?

Nevar!

Sorry for putting a downer on the forums, and I don't mean to bring everybody else down, but it's just an issue I've wanted to be addressed by the fair thinking people of this forum.

 

[reaper_2k9]

Addictions are not diseases you cant catch them from someone but they are extremely serious and we should make sure that these people do get help so they can become healthier more productive people.

 

[Hunde Des Krieg]

Your poll is a little bias. There's no option for it not being a disease and not deserving of treatment.
But I do agree that alchoholism is not a disease. A disease can be spread. It is definitely an ailment, and a dependency, but not a disease.

Actually, by definition a disease is something that is a dis-ease so if you think about it almost any medical or mental problem could be considered a dis-ease Also diseases are not contagious, viruses are, you can't catch cancer from someone else(don't bring up HPV it is a virus that MAY lead to cancer).

 

[implodingMan]

Your selection of the word "disease" makes this a bit tricky. If we go for the true meaning of the word, where we pull it apart into "dis" and "ease" it means "not at ease". Disease is a disorder of structure or function that affects the body in a specific way with a specific cause that is not simply physical injury.

So, yes. By that definition it is a disease.

And to sort of answer the topic, I think that they need help.

damn, someone posted the same thing as me within the same minute.

 

[tijuanatim]

Mitch Hedberg said it best.
Alcoholism is the only disease you can get yelled at for having. 'Dammit Otto, you're an alcoholic!', 'Dammit Otto, you have Lupus!' One of those doesn't sound right.

 

[jim_doki]

this is interesting...

i'm facinated by mental health, and there are things like this that often get called various things.

the interesting thing i'm descovering is that a lot of various drug related mental illnesses gather no sympathy due to their original choice to take something.

its simply an addiction. something your body doesn't think you can do without. if thats the case you need treatment

 

[wewontdie11]

Your selection of the word "disease" makes this a bit tricky. If we go for the true meaning of the word, where we pull it apart into "dis" and "ease" it means "not at ease". Disease is a disorder of structure or function that affects the body in a specific way with a specific cause that is not simply physical injury.

So, yes. By that definition it is a disease.

And to sort of answer the topic, I think that they need help.

damn, someone posted the same thing as me within the same minute.

Just to try and clarify a bit, a disease is generally classified as an absence of physical, mental or social well-being. But I am simply looking for Escapees views of it's importance and legitimacy as compared to other conditions which I have mentioned, and whether they think it should be placed in the same class of severity.

And also at what point would you consider a person an alcoholic?

 

[wewontdie11]

this is interesting...

i'm facinated by mental health, and there are things like this that often get called various things.

the interesting thing i'm descovering is that a lot of various drug related mental illnesses gather no sympathy due to their original choice to take something.

its simply an addiction. something your body doesn't think you can do without. if thats the case you need treatment

I personally happen to agree with you, and mental health is also something I am greatly interested by, but there are many that claim that knowing the risks of a certain product and taking it anyway deserves no sympathy whatsoever, because they were aware of the consequences, and because of that knowledge are less deserving of help than people with other medical ailments.

Edit: Please don't let this die so readily, I really would like an opinion from the community on this.

 

[Elim Garak]

Guys, this is a very simple question. Yes, it is a disease, by the medical definition of a disease:

http://www.emedicine.com/asp/dictionary.asp?keyword=disease

1 . An interruption, cessation, or disorder of body functions, systems, or organs. syn: morbus syn: sickness syn: illness 2 . A morbid entity characterized usually by at least two of these criteria: recognized etiologic agent(s), identifiable group of signs and symptoms, or consistent anatomic alterations.

Alcoholism has a recognized cause, and has consistent and identifiable signs. Furthermore, I am a firm believer in the Nature side of the argument in many cases. Alcoholism has been shown to have a hereditary component. True, many of the people with the disease have that problem mainly due to a mental/psychological situation, but that does not invalidate the condition from being a disease.

 

[Elim Garak]

And also at what point would you consider a person an alcoholic?

An alcoholic is somebody who regularly drinks shoe polish or cologne in the mornings to stop the shakes. For the alcohol content.

 

[wewontdie11]

And also at what point would you consider a person an alcoholic?

An alcoholic is somebody who regularly drinks shoe polish or cologne in the mornings to stop the shakes. For the alcohol content.

Fair enough I don't go that far, but I merely enquire from a personal vantage point, because I do find myself consuming seizable volumes of alcohol on average about 3-4 days per week. Is that to the level many of you would class as alcoholic?

 

[chronobreak]

I drink a 40 every day, and get really plastered 3-4 of the 7 days in a week. I would consider that alcoholism.

 

[Saskwach]

I think calling it a disease weakens the psychological strength and purity of the word 'disease'. When you say 'disease' people know you mean 'terrible sickness' (not quite accurate but you get the gist. Alcoholism is an addiction that might lead to 'terrible sicknesses' (cirrhosis, say) but it is not a disease - at least to my definition; perhaps doctors have a more technical definition under which alcoholism falls. When you call alcoholism a disease you remove the implication of personal responsibility that 'addiction' has. Yes, it's difficult, but an addiction can be beaten with willpower; a disease is something that only medicine or time can cure.

 

[EnzoHonda]

Having lived in a city where alcoholism is an epidemic and having worked with Child and Family services, I don't care if it's a disease. But if calling it that helps fight it, then I'm all for calling it a disease.

 

[mr mcshiznit]

All i care is that they get help if they even kinda maybe sorta not really want it. I mean seriously for pregnant alcohalics, fetal alchohal syndrome is no joke. Look tht stuff up and we will see if you still think people should not get help with their drinking problems. Also for those who think they are not somewhat entitled to help, I bet you would wish they had gotten help if they hit you,your freinds,ect. in a drunk driving incident that could have been avoided by some treatment.

 

[Grampy_bone]

To quote South Park, "Dad, you don't have a disease. You just need more disciprine."

As for the original poster, alcoholics are usually people for whom 'having fun' is synonymous with drinking. Alcoholics are people who drink morning, noon, and night.

Look here is a fun quiz for you to take:
http://www.aa-uk.org.uk/publications/areyou.htm

Anyway if you find you drink a lot I suggest you try to find out what it is about your life that makes alcohol so appealing to you. You don't need to find Jesus. I have a good friend whose wife decided he was an alcoholic and made him get treatment. Yeah he drank a lot, but not before he married her!