“Most people who drink alcohol do not become alcoholics.”(Gale pg.2 Para 2) An alcoholic addiction stems from other personal problems of the past or a current problem. Many people may think that an alcohol addiction is a disease or they may not. Alcohol has become a self-medication so that people can dismiss their problems for the time being. If someone feels they have an alcohol addiction, or others do, there are different treatments to help the matter but someone who is addicted to alcohol is usually in denial and treatment will only help a person if they are willing to except it themselves. “If your ready to admit you have a drinking problem, you have already taken the first step”(Smith pg.4 Para 3) Almost anyone who suffers from a drinking problem chooses not to believe that it is a problem this is in other words known as denial. Alcoholics will push anyone away to get their fix. That’s what they think there life will seem better. Also no one wants to be told that they have a problem or need to talk about it. “The definition of alcoholism incorporated “denial” as a major concept for the first time. Denial includes a number of psychological maneuvers by the drinker to avoid the fact that alcohol is the cause of his or her problems” (Gale pg.1 Para 1) What happens is family and friends get dragged into these issues because they make excuses for the alcoholic or enable them to do things they know they shouldn’t. Denial is one of the biggest factors in recovery. Some people may say alcoholism is a disease but addictions are not diseases. People use alcohol as a way to medicate and hide from uncomfortable feelings. Most of us have been led to believe that “ alcoholism is a genetic inheritance that some people are born with” (Burras pg.1 Para 1) Studies have been done and they have shown that this is not true. They have never seen a gene proving that alcoholism is biologically. Alcoholism is not a disease because it’s a choice. People have a choice as to what types of substances they put into their bodies or how they are going to live their lives.
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