Alcoholism or Diabetes?

[beatle]

If you had a choice, which would you rather have? And why?

[sheshe]

Alcoholism or Diabetes?

Easy - diabetes! No guilt, no shame!

Although I don't intend to make light of diabetes or the suffering it can cause. I just don't think it makes people feel like they should crawl in a closet and hide themselves from the world.

Hope no one takes offense.

[Flip]

Alcoholism or Diabetes?

No offence on my part She, I agree - diabetes is a socially acceptable disease, even type ll, which is largely self induced through diet.

However, society blames you for drinking, blames you for not knowing how to control yourself, blames you for not stopping, blames you for costing millions in healthcare, blames you for all crime, blames you for destroying families.. the list is endless.. There's no sympathy for a drunk.

[nancy]

Alcoholism or Diabetes?

Well,I think it depends on how severe the alcohol problem is. I would rather have the one I have than have diabetes for sure.

I don't know a lot about diabetes. But I don't think you can reverse diabetes can you? And it causes a lot of problems. Therefore alcoholism could be a better choice because it is something that you can treat by stopping and start to reverse the damage. Now if you asked, alcholism with liver damage or diabetes, that would make the question more difficult.

[beatle]

Alcoholism or Diabetes?

If I had diabetes, I would have sought treatment long before it became so bad. An alcohol problem often/usually goes untreated so long that there is a lot of irreversible damage done to the body and to the person's life. I think if you would choose alcoholism over diabetes your alcohol problem is certainly mild, or at least not advanced. Maybe that's a good test to see how bad your alcohol problem really is?

[paula]

Alcoholism or Diabetes?

My brother has diabetes, and has lost the sight in one eye and is on steroids to hopefully
slow down the loss of sight in the other. There are so many complications with diabetes,
which can not always be controlled, and to date can't be cured. Alcoholism can be arrested
with great difficulty and liver damage can be repaired, as long as we can stop drinking. So
at least alcoholism can be treated, if we don't drink (I know easier said than done), but if
we get diabetes, we sometimes have so many other health problems associated with it,
that life can be shortened by it, sometimes when sticking to all the treatment, diet etc.
I do agree with Flip regarding attitudes toward people with alcohol problems.
Paula.

[Accountable for Me]

Alcoholism or Diabetes?

Whether diabetes being acceptable and alcoholism being unacceptable I think both are bad. If we are talking about full blown diabetes and not the type 2.

I had a friend who went blind and lost her leg due to having diabetes. My father on the other hand was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes due to a diet of rich foods and beer. Type 2 is manageable if it is caught early on and you follow the doctors guidelines.

I think any disease sucks... They all effect our health and lives. Just my two cents but an interesting question - makes you think.

[beatle]

Alcoholism or Diabetes?

Well, I guess it was a little off the deep end to ask it. There are too many variables, anyway, to generalise. I was just thinking of the coupole of people I know who have diabetes, have had since they were young. I used to feel sorry for them, always testing their blood sugar, always taking shots. But other than that they are perfectly healthy and now I just think, wow, I would trade this alcohol thing for that bother. But obviously that is not all there is to the picture.

[Accountable for Me]

Alcoholism or Diabetes?

I think your question was very good. I was just making a fried egg sandwich, and thinking about how poor my diet is getting..... I definitely wouldn't want to exchange one for the other either. Made me think of more than just the question at hand.