it's the same disease: addiction. it's the drug of choice that differs; sometimes the behavior of choice:

-alcohol
-crack/cocaine
-heroin/opiates
-gambling
-sex
-marijuana
-pills

these are all addictions. look at AA. it's been adapted/modified to assist not only alcoholics, but narcotic addicts, sex addicts, gambling addicts, and food addicts. the twelve steps may differ from program to program, but the basis is the same.

i walked into an NA meeting once and walked right back out. i've stuck around for AA meetings. i've considered finding a home meeting. but alcohol has never been my first drug of choice.... until all my other drugs were taken away, that is.

why the different stigmas associated with alcoholics and other drug addicts? we've all heard the term 'functioning alcoholic'; most of us probably know one. how many of us really have seen 'functioning heroin addicts' in action? 'functioning meth addicts'? they exist, but the stigma is different. if you're a crack or heroin user, you're a junkie; you're in the gutter. if you're a cocaine user, you party too much and are high strung, possibly maintaining a job but not a full on junkie. if you're an alcoholic, you can run the gamut of in the streets to professional who puts on a great face.

so why do i identify more with alcoholics? is it because i grew up surrounded by alcoholics in denial and i'm familiar with the patterns? is it because it's my most recent addiction? is it because alcoholics are less judgmental than other addicts? or is it the 'clientele', so to speak. most alcoholics in recovery seem more mature, they seem more ready to take recovery seriously. they seem more interested in WORKING THEIR RECOVERY? is that it?

does that mean alcoholics and addicts of other drugs are NOT the same? should alcoholism be treated differently than other addictions? addictive behavior is addictive behavior: what is the difference that makes one addict pick crack, one pick meth, one pick alcohol?