Alcoholism as a Primary Illness
23/02/2010
Alcoholism as a Primary Illness: Meaning that addiction to alcohol is a separate illness to other conditions connected to it and not the symptom of another underlying condition.
Also, that the alcoholism needs to be addressed first - other co-existing conditions e.g. depression, can be most accurately diagnosed and treated only once the alcoholic is in stable recovery.
Whilst addiction is an all-encompassing disease, it manifests itself in many different forms, including alcoholism, drug addiction, eating disorders and many others.
When alcohol is the primary illness, it is the most prevalent symptom of the disease. Many sufferers of addiction show multiple symptoms, for example, alcoholism and an eating disorder. However, when a person suffers from alcoholism as a primary illness, their alcoholism demonstrates the most significant amount of symptoms.
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