Alcoholism and general drug addiction, what is the difference?

I don't mean to get anyone's back up... but I have never understood this so would appreiciate an explanation.

To quote the AA website:

"...Today we are willing to accept the idea that, as far as we are concerned, alcoholism is an illness, a progressive illness that can never be "cured" but which. like some other illnesses can be arrested... "

Is it purely a social factor that makes it listed as a "illness"? That socially, alcohol is more acceptable than say, heroin, so someone who is addicted to it is a victim where as the person with the heroin addiction (which I dont believe is listed OR accepted as an illness either mediaclly OR socially) is generally not accepted as a victim in the same way.

Is there more to this than meets the eye, or is is social standards that are inconsistant.

And again, Im not trying to annoy anyone or wind people up. I simply just don't understand.

Thanks for answers.

In my opinon addiction is not a disease it's actually a choice. I know it gets inflated that it's an illness and blah blah and most people might not like what I am about to say but so be it..If you think it through fully for example..You choose to try a drug whether it be alcohol, nicotine, heroin etc... if you like it you will choose to keep using it.. yes there are some drugs that when you try to come off of them you will suffer moderate to severe withdrawal symptoms due to over indulgence with alcohol being one of them, but the point is.. most people that abuse substances have addictive personalities, and with AA I think those people that become highly involved with AA replace one choice of addiction only to become addicted to a following and being told addiction is a disease is just leaving a crack open in the door you are trying to close because they are told relapse is possible therefore they will relapse.. telling a person (that is in their weakest mind frame) that they can never overcome a CHOICE is ridiculous....they need to be taught or teach themselves to be assertive to change this lifestyle they lead knowing only themselves have the power to change how they live not anyone else or anything else. When you have an illness like Cancer your not waking up and going out the door one day saying yeah I am gonna go try some cancer.. or I need a fix of my Lupus... etc.. The point is with addiction being a choice.. you also have a choice to become unaddicted which requires a MAJOR change in life and in case you haven't noticed many people do not like change or will face change therefore they replace their choice of addiction with another addiction or keep going back their old ways.. It's a mind thing.. You have to WANT to stop using and have to accept that major Change in self, lifestyle and ways of thinking need to take place. By telling someone that they will always have this "disease" they will never fully change and always beleive things like "hey I am a drug addict but I have been clean x amount of years" or "hey I will always be a drunk but I haven't had a drink in 20 years"... that's preventing them from moving on with total success and becoming a new and more mind healthy individual by welcoming complete change....There are people out there that have done this without AA and such.. some people do need a boost in helping restructiong the way they think.. but telling people they have a disease or illness really only prevents them from complete change and escaping this frame of mind.. I am not trying to be rude.. I have thought this through from my own experience with drugs in the past and later as I watched my mother kill herself with heroin for 15 years until that final day where her choice to use this drug finally took her from us..

Yes, it's purely for social reasons. People in "high places" don't like to think of themselves as drug addicts. Like doctors, for instance. Alcoholism is drug addiction, plain and simple.

In addition, I'm an alcoholic, although I haven't had a drink in 8 years. I don't consider it an "illness" at all. Cancer is an illness. Nobody made me pour vast quantities of booze down my throat. Calling alcoholism an illness is an insult to people who are genuinely sick. It's a drug addiction.

Any type of substance abuse is an addiction. Some people are predisposed to it, and it doesn't matter what it is drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, food. Imo, it's an illness in all cases.

That is just the wording of someone from the AA, its not necessarily the prognosis of a nation! Alcoholism (in my opinion) is something which you could slip into over the years whereas heroin is something that is a choice with only 1 outcome - addiction. The vast majority drink responsibly and don't get hooked - how many heroin addicts can say that.

All substance abuse is the same. Just another addiction.

Alcoholism is certainly a drug addiction, but if the people who have the problem want to call it a disease because it makes it easier for them to cope with it, fine with me. Whatever helps them out.

Note; addiction IS a genetic predisposition- so there is a case to be made that many addicts really do have a different physiology.

nothing just posh people giving it a different name

none really
i suppose alcohol being an accepted drug being the only difference but one things for sure both are a nightmare condition

People with alcoholism annoy me. I have a friend who is alcoholic but wont admit it....he has gout and many other illnesses, but because he's been drinking 20pints a day for 30years he thinks he's invincible. I have no patience with his stupid conversation and supposedly witty innuendo and sarcasm after a few drinks. If he wants to slowly kill himself with drink he can, but I will have no sympathy as he affects those around him by being offensive and suggestive. A heroin addict is apparently less likely to affect those around him unless he steals or becomes socially unacceptable in some other way. So yes, I believe social attitudes do play a part, but at the end of the day, drink and heroin addicts are probably both likely to kill themselves sooner or later. In my opinion, neither should be seen as a victim, as both have the means to stop becoming addicted in the first place, or to stop when it begins to affect their health. Unfortunately, they often choose not to. As a smoker myself, I fully accept the consequences of my actions and do not see myself as a victim, but neither do I impose my habit on others.

about a extra 70 pounds a week on the dole to both and never having to go to the job centre to explain why they are not hunting for work i have been called 4 time to the job centre to answer why i am not hunting for a job since i took a massive heart attack and am waiting to have heart operation and i have a job my firm is keeping my job open it is a real sickener to see them come in and be told to go home and come back next year

I have been battling drug and alcohol abuse for years and have been clean from both for 8 years now. The illness in both cases is the addiction, I would tar them both with the same brush, addiction is tough no matter what it is you are addicted to. I am a victim to addictions, i got free from them through medication and counselling and did not go to AA or NA, although I have great respect for the way they are tackling the problems caused by both. I do not believe that God has anything to do with my addictions. I dont know if this helps you in any way, shape or form but this is how this addict sees it........edit...........Truly Madly, you have no idea at all , do you? I hope those cigarettes that you are addicted to dont cause your premature death. You cant face up to your addictions, dont worry though, you might be able to someday and you will then find that you will not be as bitter to other peoples problems as you are now............edit...............have a star, GREAT question.

Addictions to any substances are technically illnesses if they interfere with normal functioning and good health. There are two kinds of addiction, physiological and psychological addiction.

In the first, the body gets to need the substance in question, and all sorts of nasty withdrawal effects occur if it doesn't get it (sickness, sweating, shaking, panic attacks, DTs etc).

In the second the person cannot function normally unless they have a regular dose of the substance, and they depend on it to enable them to get through the day.

But social standards are indeed inconsistent, and it is often said that if alcohol or tobacco were to be introduced today, they would probably be controlled drugs.

the only difference is one of legality. alcohol makes money for the government and is legal, heroin makes money for criminals and is illegal. addiction to either substance is destructive and difficult to escape from (i know .. been there and done'em both.. in the past). it is a medically accepted fact that addiction is an illness although some may prefer to call it a condition. the symptoms are the same no matter what substance is being used, no matter what name or label is put on the person or his.her illness/condition.

No difference. They might come about in different ways and are definitely perceived differently by the world but an addiction is an addiction. If you HAVE to do it, it's not a habit or a pastime anymore, you're hooked.

As an alcoholic who has used drugs, I can tell you the only difference is the method of getting your hands on the stuff. Addiction is addiction no matter what the substance.