People often have a misconception of what an alcoholic really is.

Someone with an addiction is often judged for having lost control over their life. Someone you love could be standing right in front of you showing all the signs of what you might call an ‘addict’.

 

Very often that ‘someone’ is staring back at you in the mirror.

 

Alcoholism was defined as a disease in 1955 by the World Health Organization. However, further research argues that there is no such concept of alcoholism as a disease, preferring to use such phrases as 'alcohol related difficulties', ' alcohol abuse' and 'heavy drinking'. 

Some organizations dealing with addiction say that alcoholism doesn't necessarily need to be classed as a disease. It is more a behaviour disorder, or a coping mechanism.

Bournemouth Drug and Alcohol Action Team coordinator, David Hosie said: "The fellowships like Alcoholics Anonymous adhere to the disease model of alcoholism. This is not very helpful because there are different ways of categorizing addiction. If someone using alcohol or even drugs is affected negatively by it, we need to provide them with treatment services rather than categorize them as being 'diseased'. They need to get their life in order and sort out their behaviour and outlook to life in general."

Social worker, Endaf Evans, Young Adults Drug and Alcohol Service in Bournemouth said: "One of the major problems of defining alcoholism as a disease is that it is very different from other diseases."

He goes on to say: "Alcoholism as a disease has its own set of symptoms, side effects and even recovery."

Denial is the number one symptom of alcoholism, and the alcoholic is usually the last to believe that there is a problem. However, those who argue that alcoholism is not a disease do admit that 'denial' is a process that all alcoholics go through. It may be the only common link amongst almost all theories of alcoholism.

The subtle progression of the disease takes place in stages. The first is the pre-alcoholic stage where the addict is usually amazed at his capacity to drink. Other symptoms of this stage include drinking to relax and relieve mental stress and fatigue. This may relate to the theory of alcoholism being part of someone's behaviour pattern rather than a disease.

Some support organizations for alcoholics also believe that their addiction is 'learnt behaviour' which is used as a 'means to escape from their problems'.

However, according to Brian, 36, who is in recovery at The Clubhouse, Bournemouth, "part of the disease is the addict's behaviour".

He goes on to say: “The most common symptom is an obsession to drink. This obsession eventually turns into a need to drink. It's like a route to escape your reality and your problems. Many people drink to run away from their past and even their present, but at the end of the day these are all excuses. You only drink because your body physically and mentally needs it.”

However, it is only through the process of recovery that Brian has realised that addiction doesn’t help escape the problems of everyday life. It only draws a curtain over them.

Click below to see what Brian has to say.

 

 

 

In the second stage of the illness the addict may have alcohol induced blackouts. While drinking they may undergo a period of temporary amnesia, where they have no recollection of things they may have done or said. Sometimes this amnesia lasts for hours and the person may have no memory of the night before.

Endalf Evans, goes on to say: "blackouts are usually caused because of too much drinking."

However, blackouts are mostly dependant on the individual and may not necessarily be part of the disease.

The third stage is when a loss of control sets in. The alcoholic has limited control over his life. Amongst many, some of the symptoms of this stage include longer hours of intoxication, aggressive behaviour, failure of attempts to control drinking, and loss of family and friends.

According to Jitesh Sanghania, 29, recovered addict: “Life is not in your hands anymore. Everything goes spiralling downhill. Family leaves you, friends don’t stand by. As a person you lose yourself. You start to deteriorate emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually.”

Click below to watch Jitesh's struggle through alcoholism.

 

 

 

 

The fourth stage is the final stage of the disease. Drinking can go on all day long. At this point the person starts to develop irrational fears and mental obsessions. Tremors, body aches and a general weaknesses start to take over the body.

Like any other disease Alcoholism takes its time to set in. It is difficult to tell when the person has progressed from one stage to the next. Moreover, denial as a major symptom of alcoholism slows down the process of accepting someone has a problem. Denial is not just experienced by the addict but also by those involved with the addict, whether it is family or friends. Those around the addict usually take the approach of telling them to cut down on their drinking. Mostly, they convince themselves that the alcohol isn’t really a problem, it's more the responsibility and behaviour of the addict that’s a problem.

This again brings into question for various drug and alcohol related organisations whether the family is right in their thinking. Is alcoholism a term that should be used to describe a disease? Or should it be described as 'irresponsible' or 'learned behaviour'?

According to experts, although the effect of the disease differs from individual to individual it has a predictive pattern with recognized symptoms. Alcoholism can be influenced by genetic and environmental factors.

David Hosie goes on to say: "People may have pre-dispositions about the concept of alcoholism. Some of them are based on genetic factors and some of them are based on environmental factors. At the end of the day, with alcoholism it is the behaviour of a person that defines him as an alcoholic. Whether it's drinking too much, depression, anti-social behaiour or anything else.

Instead of being classed as symptoms, they should be classed as 'effects' because that is exactly what they are. Labelling it as a disease can effect the way an addict deals with their problem. Very often it turns into another excuse for drinking."

Alcoholism like other diseases is treatable as long as the individual accepts that he has a problem and is willing to participate through a recovery process. Most importantly the alcoholic must be educated about this illness and the steps they need to take to remain clean and sober for life. 

According to Brian people don’t see alcoholism as a problem because it is so readily available everywhere. He goes on to say: “If you want a drink you can just walk around the corner and you’ll find one. People don’t see alcohol as a problem because it is socially acceptable. Unlike drugs, almost everyone has a drink once in a while. In moderation, you can drink and have a good time. But when you’re an addict, drink is the worst thing out there. It poisons your mind, it poisons your life.

If alcohol was to come up in this day and age, it would surely be illegal."