Originally posted by apathistDrinking too much is not addiction. A lot of people drink too much without being addicted.
You see no difference between having a goiter and drinking too much?
I fully agree that we may choose to put ourselves in a situation where we may suffer and addiction. But addiction itself is not a choice.
We may choose to put ourselves in a position to catch a disease or suffer from a disease or get a disease that is closer to an injury like alcohol induced liver damage. And in some cases ceasing the cause of the problem cures the disease, or reduces the symptoms.
Alcohol Use Disorder: A Comparison Between DSM–IV and DSM–5
In May 2013, the American Psychiatric Association issued the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM–5). Although there is considerable overlap between DSM–5 and DSM–IV, the prior edition, there are several important differences:
Changes Disorder Terminology
» DSM–IV described two distinct disorders, alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence, with specific criteria for each.
» DSM–5 integrates the two DSM–IV disorders, alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence, into a single disorder called alcohol use disorder (AUD) with mild, moderate, and severe sub-classifications.
Changes Diagnostic Thresholds
» Under DSM–IV, the diagnostic criteria for abuse and dependence were distinct: anyone meeting one or more of the “abuse” criteria (see items 1 through 4) within a 12-month period would receive the “abuse” diagnosis. Anyone with three or more of the “dependence” criteria (see items 5 through 11) during the same 12-month period would receive a “dependence” diagnosis.
» Under DSM–5, anyone meeting any two of the 11 criteria during the same 12-month period would receive a diagnosis of AUD. The severity of an AUD—mild, moderate, or severe—is based on the number of criteria met.
Removes Criterion
» DSM–5 eliminates legal problems as a criterion.
Adds Criterion
» DSM–5 adds craving as a criterion for an AUD diagnosis. It was not included in DSM–IV.
Revises Some Descriptions
» DSM–5 modifies some of the criteria descriptions with updated language.
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The above is reproduced from http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/dsmfactsheet/dsmfact.pdf
See the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism website at https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/
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I think it's worth putting out there that a search online about whether or not alcoholism is a disease might be better facilitated if a search is done on "Alcohol Use Disorder", since this is the more exact preferred term for the disorder today.
Addiction is a real condition. If one has an addiction, one cannot just choose not to have the condition. But one can choose to fight it and free oneself from it. One can also choose to avoid it before it happens, and choose to avoid it once one has recovered from it**.
** except in the scenario twhitehead mentioned regarding a baby born with addiction, of course..
My brother is a recovered alcoholic. He spent 3 spells in detox, which didn't work, and then a 5 month stint in what is called secondary rehab. He now hasn't touched any alcohol for nearly 9 years. It should be added he's an ardent atheist who did all this without recourse to the supernatural. He now works in the very same rehab centre as a drink and drugs counsellor of which he was once a patient. He would say, quite categorically, that addiction most certainly isn't a 'disease' and is most certainly a 'choice'.
Originally posted by apathistNo, but I would claim that withdrawal symptoms are a symptom of addiction. All diseases are a set of characteristic symptoms.
Do you claim that addiction is withdrawal symptoms?
High fever is not malaria but malaria includes high fever. You can have the malaria parasite in your blood and not have malaria. You cannot have malaria without the fever.
AIDS is a disease, HIV is not.
Originally posted by Proper KnobThen he would not be understanding the meaning of the word 'addiction' or the word 'disease'.
He would say, quite categorically, that addiction most certainly isn't a 'disease' and is most certainly a 'choice'.
Addiction isn't behaviour and thus cannot be a choice. Being addicted may be a choice but so may be being diseased.
Originally posted by twhiteheadIf someone claimed to be addicted to drinking and you held a gun to their head and told them either stop drinking or a take a bullet to the head, do you think they won't be able to choose not to drink and take the bullet?
Then he would not be understanding the meaning of the word 'addiction' or the word 'disease'.
Addiction isn't behaviour and thus cannot be a choice. Being addicted may be a choice but so may be being diseased.
Originally posted by FMFTrue. If you abuse any substance there may be there may be physical withdrawal symptoms to deal with. After dealing with them, besides the option of avoidance, there is the option of using responsibly.
Addiction is a real condition. If one has an addiction, one cannot just choose not to have the condition. But one can choose to fight it and free oneself from it. One can also choose to avoid it before it happens, and choose to avoid it once one has recovered from it**.
** except in the scenario twhitehead mentioned regarding a baby born with addiction, of course..
The idea that an alcoholic, for example, can never have one drink is a myth.