To Continue Jj's Thread, Think On This: Alcoholism,

[Iluvspikey]

Illness or not? I think not, you don't just wake up one morning and decide not to have leukaemia, and by treating it as an illness, you are not letting people take responsibility for their own actions, by saying it isn't their fault

[RATTER15]

Yes it is definitely an illness, self inflicted maybe, that does not stop it being an illness, the effects of alcoholism is clearly physical but it is the mental illness (addiction) that prevent people from giving it up. Unless you have been there I don't think we really have much idea just how difficult it is to give up such addictions.

[Iluvspikey]

addiction is a trait, not an illness. Like phobia

[Jeza]

Spikey. Shut up. You don't have a clue what you're talking about.

[askyourgran]

Spikey you can't deliberately give yourself leukaemia, drinking a bottle of gin before breakfast spells out alcoholism. It is an addiction which causes illness and death if not treated, as is drug taking. Some people seem to have addictive personalities and have to be weaned off the stuff, they know it's their own fault but seemingly powerless to help themselves.

[shaneystar2]

What Ratter says .A friend of mine is an alcoholic.She turned to the booze after a very unhappy period in her life many years ago and has never gone off it .
Yet, she held down a very responsible job whilst sipping vodka all day long .
She's addicted and it's very hard for her to give up drinking and I don't think she ever will.It will kill her in the end and as much as you try to help you can't control another persons lifestyle .Yes,it is an illness .

[hc4361]

Nobody picks up a glass and thinks 'I'll drink myself into alcoholism, liver failure, mental problems, family failure, work failure, suicidal tendencies, early death' either.

[society]

I agree with you Spikey. And if alcoholism is a disease then smoking, doing other 'hard' drugs, over eating, washing hands umpteen times are all diseases.

Oh and ice cream; I cannot stop eating ice cream until the gallon container is empty, then I have a disease call ice cream.

[hc4361]

Society, you cannot compare smokers with alcoholics.

[sherrardk]

IMO alcoholism is an illness. People choose to smoke, but can give it up (not that I have tried - suspect I would be at the quacks with stress every week if I did). I also think you are trivialising leukemia.

[Iluvspikey]

But that's my point shaneystar2, your friend's use of alcohol has become a prop, and is now a habit.

[RATTER15]

Society, just a little childish maybe?

[sherrardk]

It's not a habit, it is a coping mechanism, a way of life. Something dreadful happened and the person turned to alcohol, never heard of a non smoker suddenly taking up smoking to cope with something (maybe return to smoking, but not start from scratch).

[society]

Sherr, but, don't people also choose to drink alcohol? People do have the choice of putting or not putting what they want in their mouth.

[jno]

Sciety, it's the addiction that's the illness, not the smoking. Symptoms such as incfreased tolerance and withdrawal problems are pretty well attested.

[sherrardk]

I have had some really crap times but didn't turn to booze, but can see how easy that would be. None of us know what we would do when things go really, badly wrong (and I mean badly). Until things went pear shaped for us I would never have been able to see things from the perspective of people in this situation. Hopefully none of you never end up in such a horrible place.

[Iluvspikey]

Before anybody else has a go at me, I've lost a cousin to alcohol and a nephew to leukaemia.

why not? hc4361
Both people use a subtance they know could kill them, both are an addiction and are habit forming that can have a detrimental effect on their health so

[RATTER15]

Society, you really have no idea what you are talking about, look into a bit a little further so you can give an informed opinion.

[shaneystar2]

No it's not a habit , it's an addiction.
Perhaps she should have eaten ice cream and become a glutton .

[hc4361]

Society, everybody that drinks alcohol chooses to drink it.

It is when it is no longer a choice that it becomes a problem. Heavy drinkers are advised by their doctors not to go 'cold turkey' as it would have adverse affects on their health. This isn't the same as a gambler's need to gamble, or a smoker's need to smoke (although both habits are very hard to give up if one has become addicted). It is a physical addiction as well as a 'mental' addiction. Withdrawing from alcohol has dreadful affects on the body and mind and can be dangerous if not managed properly.

[society]

Ratters no need for the insult. Insulting me doesn't make you look clever.

That's my view, this is how I think about the alcoholic person. I may not share the same view with you or others, but, am I not entitled to post my opinion? Or would you like only people who share your opinion and agree with you to respond?