In his controversial book, Stanton Peele (1995) discusses the medical model of disease and how it has been inappropriately applied to addiction in general and to alcoholism in particular. The book is, essentially, a sociopolitical and scientific treatise on the subject. It's underlying theme is best illustrated by its subtitle which is: How we allowed the Recovery Zealots and the Treatment Industry to Convince Us We are Out of Control.
Since there are several substance abuse counseling theories and models based on the notion of substance abuse in general, and alcoholism in particular, as being a disease, the relevance of Peele's discussion for counseling theory is apparent. Moreover, the central implication of Peele's discussion is that to the extent the basic argument has validity, all of these theories must become suspect.
Peele's (1995) defense of the notion that it is both scientifically and psychologically "wrong-headed" to conceptualize addictions such as alcoholism as disease begins with an explication of the medical notions of disease, showing all of the elements and requirements of the model. Those elements of the basic model which are not met by the addictive disorders are then listed.
Peele (1995) then goes on to discuss the motives of those who formulated and/or promulgated the disease model of addiction, showing that these motives are not only far from objective; they are also rooted in a central assumption that somehow the human being is a passive agent whose volitional and decisional abilities exert little, if any effect, on his or her behavior.
Regarding Peele's (1995) point and its relevance for counseling theory generally, it can be pointed out here that assumptions about the specific nature of human beings are central to each and every therapy/counseling theory (Pervin, 1990). In addition, some models do indeed hold that a passive characterization of the person is proper and appropriate at le...