Addiction is NOT a "disease"

Definitions1. AddictionMy opponent never refutes the definition of what an addiction is but rather offers an interpretation of what she "believe[s] to cause 'addiction[.]'"Whether the addiction a person has is to alcohol, drugs, gambling, or anything else has nothing to do with the status of an addiction as a disease. The resolution is not about the causes of addictions being a disease, but if addictions themselves are.2. DiseaseMy opponent never refuted my definition of disease either, so we must assume she accepts it as well.CaseWith both definitions agreed upon, I would like to draw attention back to my first contention. My opponent never addresses my case in her rebuttal, so we must assume that it is conceded as true. Even if we don't, the logic still stands that addictions are, by definition, diseases. This dropped argument will provide the judges with an independent reason to negate the resolution.Rebuttal1. Personal ExperiencePersonal experience is nice and all, but you have yet to disprove the facts that I presented within the last round about genetics accounting for 40% of the risk of alcoholism. We haven't seen medical verification that you are gentically prone to alcoholism either, and even if we are made aware of this evidence, it doesn't prove that you can resist addiction in all cases.2. Cancer PatientI'm sorry but I am having a hard time following this example. Okay, so sometimes addicts of drugs and alcohol take actions for a quick fix. How does this make their addiction any less of a disease? This is the effect of their addiction, this is what the disease makes them do. You talk about how people take these actions on feelings alone, but, once again, have yet to disprove that genetic factors are involved. Even so, why can't diseases be caused by emotional instability?Broken Heart Syndrome is caused by emotional distress [1]."Broken heart syndrome is a temporary heart condition brought on by stressful situations, such as the death of a loved one. People with broken heart syndrome may have sudden chest pain or think they're having a heart attack. These broken heart syndrome symptoms may be brought on by the heart's reaction to a surge of stress hormones. In broken heart syndrome, a part of your heart temporarily enlarges and doesn't pump well, while the remainder of the heart functions normally or with even more forceful contractions."Now I ask my opponent, why is it that when real consequences are taking place, Broken Heart Syndrome would not be considered a disease?3. SiroccosSure, siroccos is disease caused by addiction to certain drugs. However, the addiction to these drugs is also a disease. You asked if ther was a gene that forces people to become alcoholics, and I would just like to remind you of my evidence that there is.Conclusion1. Addictions are definitionally diseases. This is dropped and an independent reason to negate.2. My opponent's case relies on there being a lack of genetic causes to addiction, but does not disprove my cited evidence that genetics are, in fact, involved. Even without this evidence my opponent fails to prove that emotionally-caused addictions are not diseases.3. Remember however, that based on the wording of the resolution we are not debating whether the cause of addictions are diseases but if addictions are diseases themselves. If drugs and alcohol do not cause addictions, that is not a reason why addictions are not diseases and you can still negate.References1. http://www.mayoclinic.com...