Alcoholism is a disease no different than cancer, or diabetes, or mental disorders with various forms of treatments available and various levels of success with treatment attainable.
Alcoholism is a biological brain disease.
When alcohol or other addictive drugs are introduced into a body predisposed by inherited genetics to addiction, permanent biological changes occur in the brain. These changes do not occur in someone without the genetic predisposition to addiction. We are all born with genetic predispositions . A heightened probability of developing certain physical or mental diseases during our lifetime based on our heritage. If mother s side of the family has members who have been diagnosed with cancer or father s side of the family has members who have been diagnosed with heart disease or diabetes, there is an increased risk for the child to manifest one of these diseases at some point in life.