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- Gerdner, Arne, et al.
(författare)
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Alkoholism som sjukdom
- 1993
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Ingår i: Nordisk alkoholtidskrift : Nordic alcohol studies. - 0789-6069. ; 10:3, s. 133-144
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The question whether or hot alcoholism should be regarded as a disease has been widely debated. This article discusses three questions in that context: What is disease? Is alcoholism a disease? What is the function or the disease concept in the treatment of alcoholism? After discussing different concepts of disease - especially essentialist and non-essentialist disease concepts - the article argues that diseases are defined in practice and not bybiological or other essences. The process in which alcoholism/alcohol dependence has reached international recognition as a disease is similar to that of many other diseases. Alcoholism is not defined as a disease by postulating a specific biological essance or cause. Insted, it is recognosed as a disease when the syndrome is described and when the clinical community treats alcoholics as patients. Other have tried to define the essence of alcoholism and to develop alternatives based on their essentialist theories. In practice, however, these have changed to more multifactoral apporaches. An issue has been to question whether alcoholism is essentially intentional, a volitional condition. If accepted, the conclusions then may be that alcoholism should not be treated. This opinion is criticized. The AA contribution to the understanding of alcoholism has not been essentialist or based on any causal theory or nosological position. Rather AA presented a new attitude toward the problems of quilt and responsibility, which uses the concept of disease to reliew quilt and promote responsibility. It is argued that this attitude can be used effectively in treatment.
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