[lostalex]

Originally Posted by Zippy

No it is not. You're being simplistic as usual.

A disease requires medical intervention.

Millions of addicts have weened themselves off smoking, drinking, drugs etc without any help from doctors, counsellors or outside intervention. They do so by altering their own psychology and applying self discipline. You don't cure diseases like this. Addiction is often a habit gotten out of control. Its a psychological behavioural pattern that can certainly lead to medical diseases. But in itself it is not a disease.

I think addicts like to call it a disease to somehow make themselves look less responsible for their actions. It becomes less of a stigma. Truth is, many addicts just do not have the willpower or determination to end their addiction. This is where calling it a disease comes in very handy...

by your logic cancer is not a medical disease eigther then, because many people claim to have cured themselves through holistic herbal rememdies and stuff.

Addiction has nothing to do with willpower. Addiction is like diabetes. you can manage it through a strict regime, but it is incredibly difficult. But you cannot choose to be an addict, just like you cannot choose to be a diabetic.

[Pyramid*]

Originally Posted by lostalex

by your logic cancer is not a medical disease eigther then, because many people claim to have cured themselves through holistic herbal rememdies and stuff.

Addiction has nothing to do with willpower. Addiction is like diabetes. you can manage it through a strict regime, but it is incredibly difficult. But you cannot choose to be an addict, just like you cannot choose to be a diabetic.

Let's not compare diseases / illnesses. A person cannot control whether they get cancer - continually using such illnesses is a complete red herring and is throwing the debate completely off the rails. It is not comparable - cancer victims have absolutely no say - none whatsoever.

Anorexics and obese people do have control. And that is the very point - many anorexics have psychological issue whereby they are able to exercise control in what they eat.

that is not alwys the case for those who are obese. Many people end up obese through nothing more than lack of exercise, lack of willpower, and not really giving a damn about how they look. It's only when they max out physcially that some start bleating about 'having an illness, can't help themselves' - when a lot of the time - it comes down to them expecting others to do the hard work for them.

[Zippy]

Originally Posted by lostalex

by your logic cancer is not a medical disease eigther then, because many people claim to have cured themselves through holistic herbal rememdies and stuff.

claim being the key word

herbal remedies are medication anyways.

addiction is psychological first and foremost. Then once your body gets used to a substance it becomes a physical dependency.