My addiction vs my family

[Cognostic]

@Kevin_Levites

Just like with diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and schizophrenia, there is a genetic component. Native Americans have a shallow gene pool, and are susceptible to it just like diabetes or high blood pressure.

Genetic components are not diseases: If you come from an alcoholic family you have a higher chance of being an alcoholic. This is a fact. Here is another fact for you… Most alcoholics come from families that do not drink. Go figure that one out. White males (74.27%) and females (65.10%) have the highest rates of alcohol consumption. Your not saying anything. There is a genetic component to everything. So what. Demonstrate alcoholism is a disease.

@Kevin_Levites

It takes awhile (often many years) for an alcoholic to work up to a huge intake of alcohol per day (“tolerance”).

No it does not. Tolerance can build extremely rapidly. alcohol tolerance is affected by how much and how often you drink, there are a few other factors to consider. For example, you might have a natural tolerance to it due to factors like your metabolism or physical health.

I’ve worked with teens who could chug bottles of Daniels and still function. Some of the factors that affect tolerance include:

• Genetics
• Gender
• Age
• Frequency of drinking
• Amount of alcohol consumption at once
• Overall physical health
• How much food you have eaten
• Medications you might take
• Your family’s history of alcohol abuse
• Socialization around alcohol consumption

@Kevin_Levites

(but controversial) evidence that alcoholics have inherited specific versions

So we will wait for the definitive research… You have still said nothing.

@Kevin_Levites

When identical twins are separated at birth, they have a similar incidence of alcoholism, while fraternal twins seperated at birth do not.

And… what conclusion did you draw from this study? Therefore alcoholism is a disease? Do you even hear what you are saying? Okay, there is a genetic component to alcoholism… Um… “so what” That does not qualify it as a disease.

@Kevin_Levites

We can get into a debate about defining what a disease is,

That’s what this is. You are saying alcoholism is a disease and I have challenged you to prove it. I do not buy the disease model of alcoholism, nor does the DSM 5. (As previously stated) It is a medical model used to make money for the medical industry.

@Kevin_Levites

Alcoholism has so much in common with other conditions that we refer to as diseases that I’m comfortable calling it a disease .

That does not make it a disease. Your comfort means nothing. Your personal experience is not a good enough reason to call it a disease. A genetic component does not qualify it as a disease.

Pretending people are sick and have a disease when they do not can have devastating life consequences. I would never victimize a client by telling them they have a disease. On the other hand, if I met a poor soul who happened to believe it and had religious leanings, AA would be a perfect referral;. If you need to pretend you have a disease to stay symptom-free, more power to you. I do not believe alcoholism is a disease and thus far, your arguments have been extremely weak. (And nothing I have not seen before.)