An estimated eighteen million people suffer from alcoholism in the United States. The actual theory behind what defines or causes alcoholism is debatable; some physicians and scientists contend that alcoholism is not an actual disease.
According to Bill W., co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and author of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous:
“Alcoholism was never called a disease because, technically speaking, it is not a disease entity. Therefore we always called it an illness, or a malady – a far safer term to use.”
Source: A New Direction