"Because there is no pill which alone can cure addiction, choosing recovery over unhealthy behaviors is necessary...This "choosing recovery" is akin to people with heart disease who may not choose the underlying genetic causes of their heart problems but do need to choose to eat healthier or begin exercising, in addition to medical or surgical interventions"
-  Dr. Raju Hajala in Addiction Now Defined as Chronic Brain Disorder (MSNBC.com article)

I have always had a bit of trouble with the disease concept of alcoholism because it's hard to wrap my head around the idea of someone healing themself of a chronic disease.  Thinking of addiction as an illness that one can take action to prevent or control is heartening.  It makes sense.  I have high cholesterol, so I try not to eat too much fattening food (well, not lately, but I really should.)  I may not be able to change how my body reacts to certain input, but by controlling and limiting that input I can avoid the reaction.  That's what it really comes down to.  Why must we always complicate things?