• I believe Alcoholism should in fact be treated as a mental illness. My father struggles with alcohol abuse and I know that in his case, his alcoholism stems from psychological issues. On time, when my dad was somewhere between drunk and sober I asked why he drank. He cried and told me that he doesn't know. I believe alcoholism is a product of a bigger problem. Alcoholism isn't a mental illness but it's a symptom of one. There is an underlying cause that is causing people to turn to alcohol to deal with their problems. I asked some of my family memebers who have also had to deal with my father's alcoholism and some said that it is a choice he has made and that we shouldn't waste resources on someone who chose to be an alcoholic but that is not true. Alcoholism might be a choice but so is therapy.