alcoholism... illness or not??

[littlemissx]

i see people have been discussing this so i just want to hear peoples opinions.

my view is unless you have been an alcoholic then you cant judge someone else. you dont know when you take your first drink that you will become addicted. Alcohol is by far a worse drug than drugs themselves as it is legal and it is so readily available!!!

[SarCaustic]

A very good question. My answer would be that alcoholism or some other drug addictions are illnesses. I reach this conclusion through first hand experience of drug addicts. As these people get deeper into their addiction, it slowly overcomes them, they become their addiction - it defines their personality. I don't believe we can simply attribute this to a personality defect. Perhaps the better question to ask would be "do we do enough to prevent such addictions as alcoholism?" or "is enough done to help alcoholics?". The answer to both of these questions is a resounding "NO!".

Perhaps the main reason for today's record levels of alcoholism is the way in which alcohol seems to have pervaded all parts of society and how the booze culture is so prevalent. Accepting and conforming to cultural norms is the reason why a lot people start to drink in the first place and that's not just with alcohol. Personally, I don't drink and have never drunk alcohol, primarily because I am a muslim. However, my religion is not the reason for my sobriety - I simply have no desire to drink. Very few people (so I'm told), initially drink alcohol for the taste, more people drink just because it makes them less inhibited and most people (at least those that I know) drink simply to get drunk! None of that appeals to me and it seems that my religion previously acted as an immunisation of sorts to the social pressure to drink, until I realised that I simply didn't want to. I'm not sure I believe that any significant portion of the population could be genetically predisposed to alcohol addiction (or any other addiction for that matter), perhaps those who suggest that this is possible could cite some evidence.

[SarCaustic]

Social and cultural norms and pressures are the main reason for alcoholism. Whenever I tell people I don't drink, I get the same reaction which is best summed up by the facial expressions of those I'm speaking to which usually says: "you poor thing, how do you live?", it's as if I'm some sort of inverted alcoholic. I believe that is a good illustration of the degree of pervasion of the alcohol culture. To further illustrate the point >>> I don't drink tea or coffee either because I don't like their taste. I know that both are tastes that could be acquired, but I don't want to acquire them as neither have any benefit to me. Granted, tea is packed full of antioxidants and the caffeine in coffee would help to wake me up on those days when I need it - but I know better alternatives to both of those. However, I have considered starting to drink tea/coffee simply to join in the coffee culture which seems to be a part of social group. But tea and coffee aren't thrown in my face as the best thing since sliced bread through every medium possible as alcohol as, making them far easier to resist. From a very early age, alcohol is presented to us on television etc. as an integral and enjoyable part of life and the glorification of binge drinking and just drinking generally continues throughout our lives. It takes a strong individual or one with some negative experiences or religious beliefs like mine to resist joining the crowds. <<<My arguments seems to have lost its structure along the way but I hope it makes sense anyway.

[SarCaustic]

With regards to treating alcoholics and other drug addicts I would suggest and altogether more radical approach. In those with strong addictions, as I said earlier the addiction takes over their personality. What is it we to do those with severe personality disorders? We put them institutions and try to treat them. Why? Because we understand that their condition impairs their judgements - basically we take away their civil liberty of choice until they are better (through whatever means) i.e. not a risk to themselves or others. I suggest we do the same to alcoholics and other drug users. A violent schizophrenic would not be allowed freedom lest he hurt others and himself, so why then should an alcoholic. Perhaps that is a little to extreme but you get the point. Physical withdrawal symptoms from drugs don't last very long, the mental ones last longer and it takes a rare person with huge reserves of will power to quit. It is the rarity of such a person that leads to suggest the abovementioned treatment. Drug addicts and alcoholics often start using again soon after they quit because they are presented the choice (which given the mental withdrawal is very difficult to resist), if we take that away we can make things easier.

I'll stop hogging all the space now!