Addictions and other habits were defined as official "disorders" or "diseases" for one main reason: insurance coverage. Today, we see an expansion of behavioral issues labeled as diseases for the same reason. Secondarily, having a disease eliminates moral responsibility, and nobody enjoys taking responsibility for bad behavior. It feels morally, if not heroically, better to be a "survivor" or a "victim."
Interestingly, I do not think I have ever met an addict or ex-addict who considered themselves to be a "victim" of a disease. Basically, the term "disease" is a flexible one to the point that almost everybody can be labeled with one or another, so I do not know whether it matters.
A book of interest by Marc Lewis: The Biology of Desire: Why Addiction Is Not a Disease
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Addiction and the biology of desire
Dr. Joy Bliss writes at Maggie's Farm,
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