title: Is alcoholism a disease? A critical review of a controversy.
abstract: Commentators have repeatedly attacked the traditional view that alcoholism is a disease. Their arguments that alcoholism is a central aspect of life, a deviant life style, or a form of learned behavior are examined in the light of the history and philosophy of medicine as well as current bio-behavioral research. Our conclusion is that alcoholism, as a lawful pattern of observable signs and symptoms that deviate significantly from a norm of health, is a bio-psychosocial disease.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Psychology, UCLA 90024-1563.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Maltzman
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001284:Atrophy; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D013695:Temperance
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol