Q&A: Is Substance Abuse a Disease or a Behaviour?
Question by abnjim5: Is substance abuse a disease or a behaviour?
Alcoholics Anonymous and the American Medical Association claim that substance abuse or alcohol dependence is a disease. In DSM-IV, “disease” is not mentioned when diagnosing patients with alcohol issues as described in diagnostic criteria.
AA cult members compare their created and appropriately cult modified definition “Alcoholic” to other diseases like diabetes and cancer.
If the problem of substance abuse and dependence is a disease, why does a person that is stopped driving drunk by the police taken to a jail instead of to a hospital. The person arrested informed the police that he was diseased and powerless yet he was still taken to jail.
Is AA’s and AMA’s definition of a drunk to a disease valid or is this “disease” diagnoses simply given to capitalize monetarily on a human malady? (Institution AA is VERY expensive!)
A wise man once said, “what sets us apart from other lower forms of animals is our ability to change and adapt to our enviornment”.
Clancy
Best answer:
Answer by jowensoderlund
Alcoholism is a disease. But it’s the only disease you can get yelled at for having.
“God damnit Auto, you’re an Alcoholic!”
“God damnit Auto, you have lupus!”
One of these two statements just doesn’t sound right.
Add your own answer in the comments!