Alcoholism although a very prevalent health problem, is only partially understood or appreciated by communities or their doctors. The myths and misconceptions about alcoholism, its causes and it’s treatment are more common than associated with any other chronic disease except perhaps AIDS. Unfortunately these myths inhibit treatment, intervention and compassion for the sufferer.
American Society of Addiction Medicine defines alcoholism as:
… a primary, chronic disease with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. The disease is often progressive and fatal. It is characterized by continuous or periodic impaired control over drinking, preoccupation with the drug alcohol, use of alcohol despite adverse consequences, and distortions in thinking. (underlining inserted by author)
A primary disease is one arising independently of other biological or psychological factors. A common example of a primary’ disease is diabetes. Diabetes happens. It’s influenced by heredity, activity and lifestyle, but it happens. Alcoholism happens. A common myth is alcoholism is a choice. It’s no more a choice than diabetes. Who would choose to be alcoholic? An alcoholic is not responsible for having their disease, only for it’s treatment.
A chronic disease is one that persists, again like diabetes, and unlike a cold. A cold, or flu will go away with time, it’s self-limiting. Alcoholism does not go away. Diabetes does not go away. Cancer does not go away. The patient can’t will away any of these diseases no matter how much they desire to do so.
Progressive disease is one that gets worse over time. It neither halts its progress nor improves once it’s begun. This reality is demonstrated in two ways. First, an alcoholic who continues to use alcohol will get worse. They will consume more with greater consequence both physical and social. Returning to the apt comparison of diabetes, a diabetic who doesn’t follow medical advice suffers greater and greater physical consequences over time, it doesn’t halt. Second, an alcoholic having remained abstinent, even for years, who returns to a consistent use of alcohol will rapidly find themselves precisely where they left off, quite possibly progressed beyond their situation at last having had a drink. Alcoholism is a disease that persists and progresses even in the absence of alcohol consumption.
Fatal. Alcoholism is the third greatest cause of preventable