Alcoholism: A Disease or an Addiction?

Most people have a confused idea of alcoholism as a disease that invades or attacks your health. Use of such a strong word such as "disease" shapes the values and attitudes of society towards alcoholics. A major implication of the disease concept is what is labeled a "disease" is held to be justifiable because it is involuntary. This is not so because problem drinking is a habit in which the so-called "alcoholic" simply has decided that the benefits of drinking outweigh the liabilities. This is a matter of personal choice. …