Alcoholism: An addiction, not a disease

... Alcoholism: An addiction, not a disease Most people have a confused idea of alcoholism as a disease that invades or attacks good health. Use of such a strong word as "disease" shapes the values and attitudes of society towards alcoholics. A major implication of the disease concept is that what is labeled a "disease" is held to be acceptable because it is involuntary. This is not so. Problem drinking is a habit in which the so-called "alcoholic" simply has decided the benefits of drinking outweigh the liabilities; it is all a matter of personal choice. Alcoholics participate in or cause many of their own problems by their behavior and the decisions they make, so why should they be viewed as helpless victims of a "disease" (Skipper 1)? Alcoholism should not be viewed as a disease, but as an addiction brought about by the alcoholic's personal choices. What is wrong with

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