Someone with 20 years of continuous sobriety is just as likely to relapse as someone with 20 days. For some programs, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, the ongoing battle against excessive alcohol consumption is defined as a battle against a disease. By defining alcoholism as a disease, you eliminate the guilt you would have to feel for fueling that addiction. An illness is more of an uncontrollable condition that requires medical attention, while an addiction can be resolved with a little persistence and desire for life changes. Defining alcoholism as a disease makes it seem like no one is to blame for their actions, since when did people stop holding themselves accountable for their actions and behaviors? Alcoholism would be more appropriately defined as an addiction rather than a disease because it exists because of one's actions. An illness should be viewed as an uncontrollable illness that can negatively impact a person's life over a consistent period of time. Diseases are not desired nor would the progression of the disease be fueled by repeating the same behavior over and over again. Some particular diseases are genetically transmitted and manifest themselves at birth. An addiction, on the other hand, is the repetition of a certain behavior regardless of the consequences. If the behavior is stopped, it is not uncommon for withdrawal symptoms to become evident. An addiction is something that occurs through personal choice and is controllable based on the actions taken. An addiction can be stopped at any time with a little persistence and dedication to alter the behavior that fuels the addiction. In contrast, an illness can sometimes be cured with medical treatment, depending on the illness, instead of simply j...... middle of paper... an addiction can fluctuate between being constant or non-existent, an illness is constant and no one has control over the matter. Another element that disqualifies alcoholism from the definition of a disease is the simple fact that it affects the person on a psychological and not biological basis. In other words, medical help is not necessary to overcome addiction. Works Cited "Alcoholism." Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th edition (2013): 1-2. Premier of academic research. Network. 19 March 2014.Digilio, G.-O. "Alcoholism, the disease of thought". Lesbian News 39.4 (2013): 18. Premier of academic research. Network. March 19, 2014.Kneale, James and Shaun French. "Mapping alcohol: health, politics and the geography of Britain's drinking problem". Drugs: Education, Prevention & Policy 15.3 (2008): 233-249. Academic Search Premier. Network. March 19. 2014.