From Mouse to Man

Re: "Non-alcoholics chose whether or not to drink, alcoholics do not"

I agree. But I think the interesting philosophical question is the culpability of the alcoholic/addict who does not seek treatment when he is sober. That is a choice he can indeed make.

So apart from liver transplants, at what point does the addict have a duty and an obligation to himself and his family? It would seem to be early on when either he recognizes the problem or it is pointed out to him.

When an alcoholic persistently chooses the bottle in that context is it an ethical insult?

ah, so they were right in their decision to discriminate against alcoholic. so is the problem that they are the people making this mistake? or is it that the mistake exists?

Nice article and great post. I think that alcoholics deserve a second chance and that includes maybe having a liver transplant.

I am both a liver transplant recipient and an alcoholic. My last drink was almost 20 months ago; my transplant was 11 months ago. Did I deserve my liver? Did I deserve to die?

I think my children and husband, who had to deal with my alcoholism would tell you they are thankful to have me, and know I am committed every day to live my life to the fullest. I participate in AA, and am trying to adjust to life without self-medicating, which is what I used alcohol for. Do I deserve this chance? It's a moot point.

I got the chance. I'm using it. I thank God, and anyone who will listen, for the gift of life. Thank goodness I wasn't condemned by those who think alcoholics are throwaways. Alcoholics are sick. Do you throw away other sick people? Now THAT would be a death squad!

I think that the difference here must be highlighted as the difference between a former alcoholic and a current alcoholic.

To absolve an alcoholic entirely of all responsibility for his (or her) illness is, in fact, a form of enablement. You are doing him no favor by saying that we must tolerate his self-destructive drinking because he's ill. To use the same logic, must we tolerate somebody failing to get treatment for a contagious disease because they cannot help the fact they have it? No: we have every right to insist that the person take responsibility for their health, admit that they need treatment for the problem, and obtain treatment.

I see no problem in insisting that, as a prerequisite for a liver transplant for someone whose liver is failing due to alcohol abuse, there be evidence in favor of the belief that the person has ceased the behavior that had them needing a new liver in the first place. Perhaps the question ought to be, should you give the liver to the alcoholic who is still drinking despite what doing so with a failing liver is like (I have been told by somebody whose liver was failing due to it never having worked properly that it is quite painful), instead of the one who has admitted their drinking problem and managed to stop drinking? If extreme pain cannot convince you that perhaps you ought to stop doing something, there's rather little hope that something else could.

I have to complete a debate for one of my classses i a in for my completion towards my BSN in nursing. I am currently a RN who hppens to be bipolar diagnosed in 2008 after a sucide attempt. before the attempt i was drinking 4 4 liters boxes of white wine a week, yes in a week. I did not realize at the time that i was medicating myself with alcohol. I was not drunk it calmed me. I made me clamed, my anxiety and increased hyperactive due to the mania i felt. it was not until then the sucide attempt did i realize how much i drank. since 2008 i am see a therapist and a psycharist, then helped me and i am on the rght medication. I no longer drink. my point is that no one chooses to be a alcoholic. i deem at times people have other issues that make tem alcoholics and it is not clear to them why? just like myself. We as individuals need to try not to be judgemental we have not walked in their shoes or experienced their journey through this life. respectfully me

I have taken my name off the donor register because i do not want my liver to go to an alcoholic. There was a time when i thought that alcoholics deserved a second chance, but not any more.I know someone who has had a liver translant due to alcohol abuse, so far he has refrained from drinking but he has substituted his drinking for another addiction, Marijuana. He was told that smoking Marijuana would reduce the effects of his anti-rejection drugs but he still smokes any way. I feel he has no respect at all for his donor or their family, because without them he would be dead by now.

I know it's said that alcholicism is an illness/desease, but it's one that comes with a choice, Cancer is also an illness/desease but one that doesn't come with a choice.

Surgeons might be able to remove the alcoholic liver but they can't remove the alcoholic head. Anyone who knows about addiction will know that an addict will promise you the world in order to get what they want. so when it comes needing a new liver they will tell the surgeon what he wants to hear, and that is that they will never drink again.