Chemical Dependency/Illness or weakness

[Brett's Honey]

I totally agree that alcohol and drug addiction is a choice - not a disease. They are addictions extremely difficult to overcome for a lot of people, but still choices. The fact that some people do quit, some with rehab or other forms of help, some cold turkey, shows me that unlike a disease, it is a choice. I have family members that I love with some of these problems, so I am familiar with this issue.
My 43 year old ex sister-in-law draws SSI - Supplemental Security Income because she is a drug addict and alcoholic and therefore supposedly unable to work!! Her history of a few emergency room visits due to overdoses (some suicide ?? attempts), admitting herself to rehab centers a few times, and twice being committed to rehab against her will by family members apparently was enough documentation for Social Security for her to qualify for a monthly SSI check. I guess she'll receive these forever, she's drawn it for about 6 or 7 years so far. I think this is just WRONG! Sure, she had a rough childhood, had two kids by the age of 16, has been married and divorced eight times, but life's been rough for a lot of us.
A friend of mine with MS struggled for over two years to become eligible for SSI. By the time she started receiving checks she was in a wheelchair, couldn't walk at all, couldn't comb her hair, get herself to the bathroom, or even write a check without stopping a couple of times to take a break due to the severe pain. THAT is a disease!