The Learned Illness

3 Pages 710 Words

Carillo 1

Debates have been occurring on the classification of alcoholism since early times. Is alcoholism a disease or is it a learned behavior? For most, alcohol is a common factor at parties, celebrations, and perhaps even everyday life. Many people abuse alcohol by developing risky drinking patterns. They develop cravings and a high tolerance, allowing them to increase the intake of alcohol and believe that they need more to satisfy a taste. There is also the loss of control and(,) very importantly(,) the physical dependency. Withdrawal symptoms heighten(,) making it difficult to quit drinking. So, is this term “alcoholism” really a disease, or can the individual control their behavior?
Medical organizations have researched this condition over and over(,) running tests, experimenting, and analyzing. There is potential that the nature of this condition could very well be classified as a disease. Symptoms are one key in defining a disease, but complications come about in the definition.
There is a mental obsession with alcohol. One can lose control of their thought processes(,) causing a sense power loss. (this last phrase is confusing – do you mean a loss of sensory power?) This can lead to a physical obsession and compulsion to drink. Although alcoholism has almost been deemed by everyone as incurable, there (replace with “it”) is the (replace with “a”) progressive disease. Progressive meaning it makes drastic changes at a subtle pace. It may progress over such an extended time, (delete) that the alcoholic doesn’t realize the changes.
In actuality there is no evidence that alcoholism is in fact a disease. It does not even satisfy the meaning of and (spelling: an) illness. Scientific canalizations (?? I’m not sure what you mean by this term) have failed in providing concrete facts and solid proof that alcoholism is a learned, and controllable, behavior. An
Carillo 2
old A.A. group even...