Regarding the Monday letter, “Stop saying drug users have disease”: The writer’s father should be thankful that the founders of AA weren’t as ill-informed, narrow-minded and fanatical. The Big Book of AA calls alcoholism a spiritual, mental and physical “disease,” “illness,” “malady,” etc.
Yes, Alcoholics Anonymous, which the writer extols, refers to alcoholism as a disease, which the writer denies. Per Webster, a disease is something that “impairs normal functioning” with “distinguishing signs and symptoms.”
Throughout the Big Book, the symptoms of the disease are discussed — double lives (Jekyll and Hyde), promising to stop at “just one drink,” hiding stashes of alcohol, marital consequences, financial consequences… As with cancer, a doctor can diagnose alcoholism or other addictions by their symptoms. Examples include DSM-IV 303.90 Alcohol Dependent and dozens more diseases related to addiction.
The addict had a hand in their addiction, but I’ve never heard of becoming addicted by “choice.” AA says that the alcoholic is powerless over alcohol. Moreover, tell the skin cancer victim who regularly used tanning beds that their disease is “happenstance.” In fact, huff a good dose of asbestos and when you get mesothelioma, go ahead and call it “happenstance.”
Addiction is a contagious disease to which most sufferers were exposed as children. They were surrounded by toxicity. Lung cancer can have dozens of causes. Addictions typically originate in homes with a variety of emotional and mental “carcinogens.” A verbally, physically or sexually abusive home. A rigid, hyper-religious or hyper-atheist home. A home of narcissistic self-absorption. The alcoholic victim was infected over the years through a slow-acting “virus.”
Yes, the world is round and human beings have actually landed on the moon. You can learn about these things the same way you can learn about the disease of addiction. By reading and listening to more than just Fox News and Rush Limbaugh (ironically a likely sufferer of the disease that is drug addiction).
John Smith
Snohomish
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