In my opinion you can't simply discard the debate as comparing apples to oranges... There are many similarities. It's a drug addiction at the end of the day.

Going cold turkey from heroin is unpleasant.

Going cold turkey from alcohol can be fatal.

So, we should give alcoholics naloxone?

Okay, so now we've established that alcohol and opiates do different things in the brain.

So, at this point, I'm going to ask you: "Why should you assume similarity rather than assuming difference?"

Just because viruses and bacteria are both harmful does not mean we should use antibiotics for both.

One of the most successful treatments for alcohol addiction is the Sinclair method which uses naltrexone and opioid blocker.

> Just because viruses and bacteria are both harmful does not mean we should use antibiotics for both

But getting rest and good nutrition will help the body fight both. So they work differently but some treatment is the same. Not unlike what gp was pointing out.