Posted by alexandra_k on November 4, 2005, at 19:10:13
In reply to This was a rhetorical question everyone, posted by ClearSkies on November 4, 2005, at 13:59:13
> I'm not afraid of not drinking again. It is fine with me if I never have another hangover!
> Just want to make that clear, ok?yeah. i understand. i think auntiemel nailed it. you answered your own question about what is best for you at this point in time. and based on what you said... sounds like a pretty clear headed decision to me.
about the disease thing. okay so try not to jump on me for saying so but it really is the case that...
the answer to the question depends entirely on how you define 'disease'. i'm serious. there are lots of tricky questions like that 'are viruses alive?' (depends on how you define living) etc.
the notion of 'disease' has been broadened significantly in order for mental illnesses to count as diseases. a lot of people fight and resist the 'disease' conception of (most but not all) mental illnesses. because they believe it is too much of a stretch, too much of an abuse of the concept of disease.
there are other health problems (significant health problems) which are health problems and yet they do not count as diseases. there are other things that are heritable that do not count as diseases too. so to say that mental illnesses (most of them) are not diseases is NOT AT ALL TO SAY it is 'all in the head' or 'within the persons volountary control' or whatever. but for a lot of people... they fear that if mental illnesses aren't considered diseases then the rest of that stuff will have to follow as a matter of logical necessity.
but that is simply false.
the concept of disease has been stretched still further in order to make addictive behaviours out to be a disease.
that is something that is (and IMO should be) resisted.
because...
if addictive behaviours count as a 'disease'...
then shouldn't that go down on your health record as an ongoing condition?
you have the disease forever and ever even if you have been clean for 50 years...
i don't see how this helps...
i think it is more likely to harm...
poster:alexandra_k
thread:575263
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/subs/20050914/msgs/575468.html