Many experts disagree about whether alcoholism is a disease or merely a bad habit. Supporters of the disease model, including the American Medical Association, contend that alcoholics are victims of a medical condition that develops in individuals who have certain innate risk factors for the disease, such as a genetic predisposition or unusual brain chemistry. Those who reject this view believe that alcoholism is not a biological disease, but rather a self-destructive behavior which an individual can overcome through willpower and psychological counseling.

The disease model first gained wide acceptance after the 1960 publication of E.M. Jellinek’s book The Disease Concept of Alcoholism. Jellinek maintained that some, but not all, alcoholics have a disease. Many alcoholics become physically dependent on alcohol and suffer serious health problems as a result of their drinking; Jellinek reasoned that this type of alcoholism is an...