this kinda makes me mad.....thoughts?

[msuder0583]

I was looking at a list of common diseases and the death rate of them. My sister has cystic fibrosis which has of course a 100 percent death rate and cuts your life very short, and epilepsy COULD be life threatening. but anyways ALCOHOLISM was on that list. i just can't even begin to explain my frustration that alcoholics can be put in the same category as those who can't help what they have. and sure there are people who will disagree with me, but i don't care. i didn't go out and take an epilepsy pill or my sister didn't drink a cystic fibrosis shake. ridiculous

[Jake]

Your right some may disagree, but not me. My father was a C-5 quadriplegic because of an alcoholic. He left my father to die after my dad swerved to save his life. Sorry but I just can't seem to be sympathetic to their "disease." I suppose there are exceptions but I'm hard pressed to find one.

[msuder0583]

sorry to hear that. yes, theres actually a "south park" that pokes fun about alcoholics who claim that they have a "disease". everything aside, the message it promotes actually makes alot of sense in the end.

[Ash]

Really sorry to hear about your problems with friends/family but......I have family and friends that are alcoholics. They didn't choose to be it with a pill or a shake either. Alcoholism can be a very slow, painful, nasty way to die. Addiction is a disease. Deppression is a disease. Epilepsy is a disease, and so on......

Just my opinion guys

[msuder0583]

ash, i respect everyone's opinion. whether they agree with me or not. and yes i know oft, but fortunately (unlike you) have not seen the slow and painful death of an alcoholic. and im sorry you had to witness that. maybe i just can't put it in even in the same category as depression, epilepsy, or cf because its PREVENTABLE. i do agree with you though that no one would ever wake up and say "hey, i wanna die from alcohol consumption"

[DayDreamer]

I wonder how many people still say the same about epilepsy? -that this is a preventable disease.

[gigi]

everyone has one, and that can depend on one's own personal experience. Addiction, like epilepsy is mysterious and hard to understand. My life has been affected by both.
My first husband was an addict, and the loss list was long and painful. After all, an addict that is still ill becomes a human wrecking ball, destroying everything in their path. I truly believe that there is a disease element to addiction, it does have triggers like our seizures do. The holier than thou crowd may never give the stamp of approval on addiction being a disease. It is a very very sad disease, and when education and experience turns the lightbulb on, and it hits you that this person REALLY has no control, then you realize how powerful the denial is.
Stigma applies to addiction somewhat like epilepsy. I have the latter to contend with.

[Ash]

everyone has one, and that can depend on one's own personal experience. Addiction, like epilepsy is mysterious and hard to understand. My life has been affected by both.
My first husband was an addict, and the loss list was long and painful. After all, an addict that is still ill becomes a human wrecking ball, destroying everything in their path. I truly believe that there is a disease element to addiction, it does have triggers like our seizures do. The holier than thou crowd may never give the stamp of approval on addiction being a disease. It is a very very sad disease, and when education and experience turns the lightbulb on, and it hits you that this person REALLY has no control, then you realize how powerful the denial is.
Stigma applies to addiction somewhat like epilepsy. I have the latter to contend with.

Sums up my view on this subject perfectly