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What do you consider alcoholism to be ?

#63
Basshole said:
And yours does? Puhleeze.

Your argument makes no more sense. I don't care how many government (and goverment approved medicine) links you care to provide. Since when is goverment the keeper of all truths? Get a grip.
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You must have missed this then:

Within the medical community, there is broad consensus regarding alcoholism as a disease state. Outside the medical community, there is considerable debate regarding the Disease Theory of Alcoholism.
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Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcoholism

So lets see, what do we have - CDC considers it a disease, the medical community broadly considers it a disease, but in YOUR opinion its not. No offence, but what possible reason do we have to accept your word over large independent bodies who specialise in these fields.

Puhleeze indeed sir.
 
#65
Oh, geez...I'm so horribly sorry! If it says so in Wikipedia, it MUST BE SO!

I refuse to have a battle of wits with the unarmed.

I'm done in this thread.

Edit: Parting thought. Disease? SEMANTICS. ...but if you're going to call ONE addiction a disease, you have to call ALL OF THEM a disease...and let the prisoners of drug use crimes go - anything less is being selective, discriminatory, and hypocritical.
 
#66
Well, the official definition comes from the National Institutes of Health (http://www.nih.gov) and goes as follows:

Definition

Alcoholism is an illness marked by drinking alcoholic beverages at a level that interferes with physical health, mental health, and social, family, or occupational responsibilities.

Alcoholism is divided into 2 categories: dependence and abuse.

People with alcohol dependence, the most severe alcohol disorder, usually experience tolerance and withdrawal. Tolerance is a need for markedly increased amounts of alcohol to achieve intoxication or the desired effect. Withdrawal occurs when alcohol is discontinued or intake is decreased. Alcohol dependents spend a great deal of time drinking alcohol, and obtaining it.

Alcohol abusers may have legal problems such as drinking and driving. They may also have problems with binge drinking (drinking 6 or more drinks at one sitting).

People who are dependent on or abuse alcohol continue to drink it despite evidence of physical or psychological problems. Those with dependence have more severe problems and a greater compulsion to drink.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Alcoholism is a type of drug addiction. There is both physical and psychological dependence with this addiction. Physical dependence reveals itself by withdrawal symptoms when alcohol intake is interrupted, tolerance to the effects of alcohol, and evidence of alcohol-associated illnesses.

Alcohol affects the central nervous system as a depressant, resulting in a decrease of activity, anxiety, tension, and inhibitions. Even a few drinks can result in behavioral changes, a slowing in motor performance, and a decrease in the ability to think clearly. Concentration and judgment become impaired. In excessive amounts, intoxication may result.

Alcohol also affects other body systems. Irritation of the gastrointestinal tract can occur with erosion of the lining of the esophagus and stomach causing nausea and vomiting, and possibly bleeding. Vitamins are not absorbed properly, which can lead to nutritional deficiencies with the long-term use of alcohol. Liver disease, called alcoholic hepatitis, may also develop and can progress to cirrhosis. The heart muscle may be affected. Sexual dysfunction may also occur, causing problems with erections in men and cessation of menstruation in women.

Alcohol affects the nervous system and can result in nerve damage and severe memory loss. Chronic alcohol use also increases the risk of cancer of the larynx, esophagus, liver, and colon. Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can cause severe birth defects. The most serious is fetal alcohol syndrome, which may result in mental retardation and behavior problems. A milder form of the condition which can still cause lifelong impairment is called fetal alcohol affects.

The social consequences of problem drinking and alcohol dependence can be as serious as the medical problems. People who abuse or are dependent on alcohol have a higher incidence of unemployment, domestic violence, and problems with the law. About half of all traffic deaths are related to alcohol use.

The development of dependence on alcohol may occur over a period of years, following a relatively consistent pattern. At first, a tolerance of alcohol develops. This results in a person being able to consume a greater quantity of alcohol before its adverse effects are noticed. Memory lapses (black-outs) relating to drinking episodes may follow tolerance. Then, people may lose control over drinking and find it difficult or impossible to stop if they try. The most severe drinking behavior includes prolonged binges of drinking with associated mental or physical complications. Some people are able to gain control over their dependence in earlier phases before a total lack of control occurs. The problem is, no one knows which heavy drinkers will be able to regain control and which will not.

Withdrawal develops because the brain has physically adapted to the presence of alcohol and cannot function adequately in the absence of the drug. Symptoms of withdrawal may include elevated temperature, increased blood pressure, rapid heart rate, restlessness, anxiety, psychosis, seizures, and rarely even death.

There is no known common cause of alcoholism. However, several factors may play a role in its development. A person who has an alcoholic parent is more likely to become an alcoholic than a person without alcoholism in the immediate family. Research suggests that certain genes may increase the risk of alcoholism but which genes or how they exert their influence is controversial. Psychological factors may include a need for relief of anxiety, ongoing depression, unresolved conflict within relationships, or low self-esteem. Social factors include availability of alcohol, social acceptance of the use of alcohol, peer pressure, and stressful lifestyles.

The incidence of alcohol intake and related problems is increasing. Data from many sources indicate that about 15% of the population in the United States are problem drinkers, and approximately 5% to 10% of male drinkers and 3% to 5% of female drinkers could be diagnosed as alcohol dependent (12.5 million people).
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So, based on this, it seems that alcoholism is an addiction that may lead to disease.
 
#68
Basshole said:
Oh, geez...I'm so horribly sorry! If it says so in Wikipedia, it MUST BE SO!

I refuse to have a battle of wits with the unarmed.

I'm done in this thread.

Edit: Parting thought. Disease? SEMANTICS. ...but if you're going to call ONE addiction a disease, you have to call ALL OF THEM a disease...and let the prisoners of drug use crimes go - anything less is being selective, discriminatory, and hypocritical.
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So the man who brings no evidence to the table walks away with his tail between his legs throwing out insults instead of debating the issues. This is he person who's sound medical opinion we should trust on the issue? :rollno:

Don't let the door hit you on the way out sir.
 
#69
Mark Latimour said:
So the man who brings no evidence to the table walks away with his tail between his legs throwing out insults instead of debating the issues. This is he person who's sound medical opinion we should trust on the issue? :rollno:

Don't let the door hit you on the way out sir.
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Pretty funny coming from a guy that cites Wikipedia as a reference.

crackup.gif
 
#70
soulgeezer said:
Wikipedia? Concensus? Are we talking about alcoholism or global warming?

C'mon, Mark, I've come to expect more from you.
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Sure its a rough evidence, but the CDC + Wikipedia is still infinitely more evidence than was presented by our friend who presented a sum total of ZERO evidence and then proceded, rather ironically, to label others unarmed in a battle of wits. I am still giggling at that one.
 
#71
By the way, for those who are interested, my Wikipedia experiment continues:

The false bit of information that I planted back in February is still being offered as true. It has not been corrected or deleted.

Will it ever be corrected or have I actually altered history in the new Wikiality?

/hijack
 
#72
Mark Latimour said:
Sure its a rough evidence, but the CDC + Wikipedia is still infinitely more evidence than was presented by our friend who presented a sum total of ZERO evidence and then proceded, rather ironically, to label others unarmed in a battle of wits. I am still giggling at that one.
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Actually Mark, it was YOU alone I was referring to.

Wikipedia!

HAHAHAHAHAHA!
 
#75
Bad Brains said:
Putting drug addicts in prison IS cruel. And it also solves nothing.

Drug addicts aren't criminals.
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no, they're not. however, they are making use/purchasing a product that is still illegal...thus far.
i'm all for legalization. or decriminalization of certain drugs, at least. but if people are engaging in transactions and behaviours that are still defined by law as illegal, then.....i dunno, what you gonna do?
 
#76
soulgeezer said:
Well, the official definition comes from the National Institutes of Health (http://www.nih.gov) and goes as follows:



So, based on this, it seems that alcoholism is an addiction that may lead to disease.
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Ayup. Makes sense.

But this definition from the NIH lends weight to the argument that other drug addictions should perhaps be considered so, as well. Particularly things like heroin and other opiates, that can't be stopped after a certain point without making a person sick, sometimes to death.

However, if we do that, what happens? Do certain drugs become decriminalized, while others do not? Does alcohol become *more* criminalized?

Slippery slope! Sliiiippperyyyy slooooope!!!

Cherie
 
#79
Basshole said:
I'll keep checking WIKIPEDIA!!!!

ROTFLMFAO!
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Hey chuckles....more medical evidence. BTW what was your evidence or credentials again? I think I may have missed where you posted them.

In addition, the findings of investigators in the late 1970s led to explicit criteria for an "alcohol dependence syndrome" which are now listed in the DSM IIR, DSM IV, and the ICD manual. In a 1992 JAMA article, the Joint Committee of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and the American Society of Addiction Medicine published this definition for alcoholism: "Alcoholism is a primary chronic disease with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. The disease is often progressive and fatal. It is characterized by impaired control over drinking, preoccupation with the drug alcohol, use of alcohol despite adverse consequences, and distortions in thinking, mostly denial. Each of these symptoms may be continuous or periodic."
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Source: Invalid Link Removed

As I said...by all means put up your piffy little comments and straw man arguments. Who knows, it may actually distract some people from the fact that you have nothing of substance to say on the actual issue being discussed. Then again, we could tell that already couldn't we? ;)
 

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