Is alchoholism hereditary?

[Papa Deuce]

Just curious, as drinking has just recently played a MAJOR part in the death of an ex in law and her brother, and her father is an alchoholic.

 

[FroggyinArk]

i personally believe that it is somewhat , at least the inclination. i know i have to work at not being one, and my grandfather was . my dad and mom both avoid it, but it was in the family, so if not hereditary, then at least passed on through the things you pick up on as a child sub-conscientiously

 

[Toby'sFriend]

there is a gene which has been scientifically shown to create a pre-disposition for it. However, the person still has the ability to make the "choice" to become addicted to the alcohol.

Most alcoholics have incredibly obsessive personalities and the culture and environment of the family can make it more socially acceptable to fill that need with alcohol.

When they give up their obsessive behavior toward alcohol, alcoholics will often replace it with another behavior such as smoking, a hobby, religion, or something else prone to being overdone.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

yes it is.

 

[momof2inPA]

I think it's more nurture than nature. If you are used to seeing a parent drink heavily on a regular basis, you are more apt to drink heavily, yourself. I also think that people of strong characters and personalities are less prone to addiction.

Many of my older relatives, including my dad, aunts and uncles, and my granddad are or were alcoholics, none of the kids in my family or any cousin that I know is an alcoholic.

As for the Kennedy family, it seems they think they can get away with it and have no consequences. Did I ever tell you about the time I saw Ted Kennedy really smashed...

 

[va32h]

I've read about studies that suggest that, yes.

Anecdotally, I have known alcoholics whose parents/grandparents were alcoholics, etc.

I don't think it is just genes, however. Observed behavior, and how the observer feels about the behavior, also play a part.

For example, I know someone whose mother was a "fun" drunk. She'd get boisterous and silly when she drank, and her children thought it was great fun. She'd laugh and play games and let them stay up late and eat whatever they wanted. She might be crabby and hungover the next morning, but the kids just learned to avoid her at those times, and sure enough, by evening she'd be cheerfully drunk again.

One of those children became an alcoholic himself. He observed his mother reacting to stress by drinking, and drinking was just the normal behavior he observed. But this person was not a fun drunk. He was a mean drunk, who yelled and said horrible things. His children found his behavior horrifying and repulsive, and they associated drinking with negative behavior.

When those children grew up, they chose not to drink, and are as far as I know, still non-drinkers today.

Of course, people are more complicated than that, and there will be those who succumb to the behavior they know is abhorrent. Or the adult child of an alcoholic will marry a drunk herself, because she thinks that's just the way things are supposed to be, or because she wants to "fix" her spouse the way she couldn't fix her parents, or any other host of complex, emotional reasons.

Having alcoholic relatives doesn't guarantee that a person will become an alcoholic themselves, but it certainly doesn't help.

 

[jeast]

Yes. Alcoholism can be genetic. Anyone can succumb to it, however those with a genetic link to alcoholism are at a higher risk.

 

[Dakota_Lynn]

Yes, alcoholism definitely runs in families. As with most diseases it is a combination of genetics and envirnment.

My neighbors are a great example of this. The mom and dad are slobbering alcoholics. They are drunk from morning until night. Their four adult children are also all slobbering alcoholics and they all married drunks. They too are drunk from morning until night. Now all their teenage children are also drinking. Lucky me...I live next to this family of 15+ drunken people. It's non-stop partying, fighting, and disorderly behavior. But that's a whole new thread! lol! But anyway, yes, as I've studied this in biology and psychology and seen it with my own eyes, alcoholism most definitely runs in families!

 

[va32h]

I also think that people of strong characters and personalities are less prone to addiction.

Ouch.

 

[Maleficent13]

I also think that people of strong characters and personalities are less prone to addiction.

Ouch.

Why ouch?

 

[tar heel]

I did a feature story on this issue with leading researchers a few years ago, and they had definitely concluded that there is a genetic propensity for alcoholism. That doesn't mean you'll be one just b/c grandpa was, but you're probably more likely to be than I am with no family history.

That quote about strong character and personality is just misguided.

 

[dadto1]

Remember the public service announcement when the dad catches the kid smoking pot. He asks him why he's doing it. The next comment I think has alot to do with people doing many of unhealthy things that we as a society do today.

It was, "I learned it by watching you!"

 

[Shugardrawers]

I think addictive parents pass on an addictive tendency but that doesn't make it a "death sentance". Both my parents were alcoholics. My bio father died of cirhosis at the ripe old age of 42. That's some HARD drinking. My mother is still kicking and still insists she quit drinking. None of the 3 of us kids has a drinking problem. 2 of us rarely drink at all, 1 more often but still well within normal social limits. 1 of us has to avoid narcotics because of a tendency to addiction with them. I think we all watched our parents and made a conscious decision that our childhoods would not be passed on to our children.

I have no tolerance for drunks or drunken behavior. It makes me physically sick to watch. Do people really think it's funny to act like an idiot, fall down and drool on themselves? Suprisingly, my first husband was an alcoholic. Not suprisingly, less than year later we were seperated for the first time and less than 2 years in were divorced. I can count on 1 hand the number of times I've seen Dh drink. His dad has quite a problem though and although I really do like him, he's a nice, generous guy when he's sober, I can't be around him much.

I so wish people could see what they do to themselves, their credibility and their families when they drink too much

 

[Chicago526]

It's part genes, part nurture, and part circumstance.

Genes are never a sole cause by themselves. I think it's more nurture (they enviroment in which you were raised, such as being abused or having alcoholic care givers) and circumstance, the choices you are given and the choices you make. There is no "one" thing that tips a person over the line from social drinker to alcoholic, it's a variety of things, including just the individual's personality. You can have two people with identicle life circumstances, one will be an addict and the other won't.

My grandfather was an alcoholic, and a mean one at that, he and my grandmother got in to physical fights (grandma gave as good as she got, I guess). They had five kids, at least one of which was an alcoholic (my aunt), we know because she went to AA and recovered. My I'd say at least one of my uncle's most likely is too, just my own observation. But my father is not, nor are my brothers or I. But I have several cousins that I've never seen sober, children of the uncle that I suspect is an alcoholic. But none of them (my father or his siblings) were in abusive relationships (either as the abuser or as the abused).

So, while having an alcoholic parent increases your odds of being an alcoholic, it is by no means definate and it's still very much in the control of the individual.

 

[sajetto]

I'm another one of those people who thinks it may be genetic. My grandfather was the town drunk. My mother LOVES the taste of alcohol (any kind) but never drinks because she is terrified to. My sister and I also like nearly any kind of alcohol she drinks more than I do, but we are still very cautious about the frequency that we drink.

My DF's grandfather was also the town drunk. (almost worst than my grandfather and the reputation follows them well after death) My DF refuses to drink anything at all for fear of the same fate. His brother drinks heavily almost daily. I think he's headed for a dark road, but he insists that everything is fine.

 

[jeast]

'they' say that nature loads the gun and environment pulls the trigger about many traits.

 

[Jennasis]

I don't know if ALCOHOLISM itself is hereditary. Rather I think the depression/obsessive personality that may cause it is hereditary. USe my family as an example:

My grandmother (on my mom's side) was an alcoholic. She began drinking heavily after her 2 week old son died of SIDS. She fell into a severely depressive state and turned to alcohol. It was a huge problem for her right up until she died or Emphysema).

BOTH of my sisters (one older and one younger) have eating disorders. One was Bulemic, and the other wa Bulemic/Anorexic. They both developed the disorders after suffering from depression about their weight, and obsessing over it.

One of my uncles (my grandmothers son) is also an alcoholic. Developed it after his wife left him.

Me personally, I obsess over my health (haven't been formally diagnosed as a hypochondriac, but I bet I would be if I went to a shrink).

So manyof the descendants of my grandmother are grappling with some mental disorder that is a manifestation of either depression or obsessive compulsive issues.

 

[Mickeyfaniam]

I think addictive parents pass on an addictive tendency but that doesn't make it a "death sentance". Both my parents were alcoholics. My bio father died of cirhosis at the ripe old age of 42. That's some HARD drinking. My mother is still kicking and still insists she quit drinking. None of the 3 of us kids has a drinking problem. 2 of us rarely drink at all, 1 more often but still well within normal social limits. 1 of us has to avoid narcotics because of a tendency to addiction with them. I think we all watched our parents and made a conscious decision that our childhoods would not be passed on to our children.

I have no tolerance for drunks or drunken behavior. It makes me physically sick to watch. Do people really think it's funny to act like an idiot, fall down and drool on themselves? Suprisingly, my first husband was an alcoholic. Not suprisingly, less than year later we were seperated for the first time and less than 2 years in were divorced. I can count on 1 hand the number of times I've seen Dh drink. His dad has quite a problem though and although I really do like him, he's a nice, generous guy when he's sober, I can't be around him much.

I so wish people could see what they do to themselves, their credibility and their families when they drink too much

I could have written most of this myself Yes a counselor once told me that we the children will have alcholic tendencies and he also taught me how I was the "enabler".... because both my sister and brother ran away from home at least once but I could not.... somebody has to keep things in order and come up with all the stories to cover things up, and that was me
My maternal grandfather was a drunk. My father was an abusive drunk and addicted to valium ... growing up with that was horrible.... then I married a drunk.... took 4 years of that and being held with a knife to my throat....that was enough for me..... like written above .... I made a concious decision that my children would not grow up the way I did..... and I took my son and left. And right about then.... I realized my mom was an alcoholic too. I could not get away from it!! I have burried them both ... my Dad, I kicked out of my life .... when a counselor told me I needed to stop enabling ... and for my own health! 7 years later, I had to give a hospital permission to shut off my father's life support at the age of 59. THen I watched my alcoholic Mom for the next 15 years drink herself to death. She actually smartened up and quit at the age of 65. I had a sober Mom for 18 months, but it had been too late and I watched her die of cirrhosos, not a pretty death.

I have a brother and a sister and none of us are alcoholics today. I think if you grow up with it you will either follow in their footsteps or be so disgusted by it, you'll make sure it doesn't happen to you.
For me, I have 3 sons now, it was my goal .... along with my 2nd husband (of whom I have been married 24 years today) It was my goal in life to stop this line of destructive behavior!

So, while having an alcoholic parent increases your odds of being an alcoholic, it is by no means definate and it's still very much in the control of the individual

also put very well