I have been an alcoholic that was told by the head doctor of the Orange County Alcoholism Program I would be dead in the gutter by the time I was fifty. They wouldn't even let me in the program because I was "too far gone". I have been a drug addict specializing in pot, speed, and LSD as my drugs of choice, but basically anything that someone had in their pocket. Also addicted to nicotine, which was the hardest to break for me.
While I am not smart enough to know if these are diseases, but I choose to believe they were my choices.

It is my addictive personality, which I believe was facilitated by being an athlete. To reach the highest levels that I reached I had to give 150%, because everyone knows that all athletes give 110%, and I chose not to be average.

This has carried through in my life. If one is good, 100 are great.
When I had bleeding in the brain, I could not just have chosen to mentally change that behavior and make it happen, any more than I could with cancer, ALS, or other diseases. The addictions in my life I have chosen to leave behind, although I will drink on the weekend, if I am not driving. IMHO, not a choice with a true disease.
I don't hold my thoughts on this to be an absolute truth, especially in respect to others. This is just a small part of this old farts life. Not something I am especially proud of, but if it causes another to consider a change if they are ready, it has been worth giving my dos colones.
Now back to reading about poosey!!!
Health & happiness
Santas Bro