Note: The dependence criteria specifically mentions the PHYSICAL addiction. Yes it is considered a disease at that point. It is considered a mental health disorder if those criteria are not met. Be advised though they use the word "disorder" they mean disease. It is considered the same as one labled "Bi-Polar" or " Major Depressive Disorder". Google the DSM-IV and you can read the criteria for ANY mental health problem.

sorry, but it says nothing about disease....if you want to believe that it is fine but please dont try to force it on others with untrue facts.....

In my humble opinion, I have realized that the longer I stay clean the less I need to figure things out. In early recovery I needed to know "why"? Today I want to know "how"?

One of my recent meditaions:

Today I Will Trust

Today, I will stop straining to know what I don't know.
To see what I can't see.
To understand what I don't yet understand.
I will trust that being is sufficient,
And I will let go of my need to figure things out.

P.S. yes a disease.

Bravo ...Justfor, I think Insurance is the one who "cares" if the diagnosis is disease or not. I think to the suffering, well I'm with BlindD....Yes I too have seen the pink elephant

I wrote a discussion 'Disease Vs. Addiction' and it got lots of feed back (think over 100). Wish I could find it, because there was such good reading there.

I believe it is a disease. A group I work with just got a bill passed in Washington to make the insurance company's treat addictions the same as if someone had a heart attack its called parity. But the bottom line is as far as in concerned 'it is what it is"
Whatever it is I have it and I can accept it today.

yes PERIOD! end of story

lol...well there you go...the big Purple thing (garysinrecovery) has spoken! (o;

The AMA
1. endorses the proposition that drug dependencies, including alcoholism, are diseases and that their treatment is a
legitimate part of medical practice, and
2. encourages physicians, other health professionals, medical and other health related organizations, and
government and other policymakers to become more well informed about drug dependencies, and to base their
policies and activities on the recognition that drug dependencies are, in fact, diseases. (Res. 113, A-87)


here the whole thing if you care to read:
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama1/pub/upload/mm/388/alcoholism_treatable.pdf

I believe we are all born with different traits that we have to deal with all are lives.O ne of mine just happens to be alcoholism.Had I not taken up drinking it would not be a problem.We all have are forbiddin fruit and we have to deal with it.To me sin and disiase are the same.We are all are brothers keeper.Lets take care of one another.

I agree.I am very cmpulsive and do not even know why I drink many times.

Yeah and Im not sure I want to have children, mostly because I think it is hereditary.

I believe most everthing is heredatary to a large degree.Thats what makes us what we are.Good and bad.It's how you deal with it that counts.

I think alcohol is a choice,cigarette smoking is a choice,to do drugs is a choice.A disease is cancer.It's something a person might possibly have no control over.To take that first drink,smoke that first cigarette,or stick your arm with a needle,,sniff,inhale any type of drug is all a choice in the begining.The addictive outcome is what you get for playing with fire.Alcoholism is not a disease to me,it is a repercussion of a bad choice I made!

How do I find the thing I wrote about Disease vs. Addiction? I've changed my name a few times (yeah, well, I'm a weirdo...lol), and can't find it. I really liked so much of the input, and would love to pull it back up. Help?