# 10

The Disease Theory of Alcoholism

In 1956, the American Medical Association, gave a green light to the insurers while also attempting to remove a stigma of alcoholics-as-weak-willed-people which drove the thinking for hundreds of years.

The general case supporting the theory as well as the subsequent recognition for treatment by insurers follows:

The modern disease theory of alcoholism states that problem drinking is sometimes caused by a disease of the brain, characterized by altered brain structure and function.

The American Medical Association (AMA) declared that alcoholism was an illness in 1956. In 1991, the AMA further endorsed the dual classification of alcoholism by the International Classification of Diseases under both psychiatric and medical sections.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disease_theory_of_alcoholism

A counter view to the Disease Theory appears below:

Alcoholism: A disease of speculation

        "In 1976, the writer Ivan Illich warned in the book, Limits to Medicine, that 'the medical establishment has become a major threat to health'. At the time, he was dismissed as a maverick, but a quarter of a century later, even the medical establishment is prepared to admit that he may well be right. (Anthony Browne, April 14, 2002, the Observer)" History and science have shown us that the existence of the disease of alcoholism is pure speculation. Just saying alcoholism is a disease, doesn't make it true. Nevertheless, medical professionals and American culture enthusiastically embraced the disease concept and quickly applied it to every possible behavior from alcohol abuse to compulsive lecturing and nail biting. The disease concept was a panacea for many failing medical institutions and pharmaceutical companies, adding billions of dollars to the industry and leading to a prompt evolution of pop-psychology. Research has shown that alcoholism is a choice, not a disease, and stripping alcohol abusers of their choice, by applying the disease concept, is a threat to the health of the individual. The disease concept oozes into every crevice of our society perpetuating harmful misinformation that hurts the very people it was intended to help. Remarkably, the assumptions of a few were accepted as fact by the medical profession, devoid of any scientific study or supporting evidence. And soon after, the disease concept was accepted by the general public. With this said, visiting the history of the disease concept gives us all a better understanding of how and why all of this happened.

See more at: http://www.baldwinresearch.com/alcoholism.cfm

As students, or as people affected by alcoholism directly or indirectly, it is important that we review the two positions with more reason than emotion.

During the escalation of Kennedy/Johnson's Vietnam effort, they found support in a theory advanced by Clark Clifford; the Domino Theory.  Clifford, who later admitted that his theory was false, suggested that once Vietnam fell, its neighbors would fall at the Philippines would not be far behind, then maybe Australia, etc.  As Clifford acknowledged the errors of his theory, he agreed that one of the clear indicators was that those countries lying closer to Vietnam did not send a higher percentage of its male population into combat.

As rationale students of alcoholism weigh the two major positions they can learn from the Clark Clifford example:

Why aren't Physicians exclusively treating alcoholics if alcoholism is a true disease; like liver disease?

If the AMA says that alcoholism is a disease, why has a cottage industry developed in America where the true persons attending to alcoholics persons who are not physicians and, rather, themselves recovering alcoholics with Master's degrees?

The same test can be put to the so-called medical approach to addictions which create a cottage-system for counselors who are not physicians and who almost always carry the baggage of their previous addictions.

Next, Ethical Questions!