Alcoholism genetic?

LegacyUser

Going unreg for this one.
My uncle was found dead yesterday down & out - alcohol related. On the same side of the family I have a cousin who is a heroin addict and a gran-uncle who was an alcoholic. On the other side of the family there is a gran-uncle who just died destitute-alcohol realted, an aunt and a cousin who were treated for alcoholism. Directly my father has been sick for the last 15 years which may not have been directly alcohol related but his sickness has been complicated by alcohol abuse for the first 10 years of being sick. He is 58 but looks 70.
Me, I typically go out Fridays and Sats and have quite a bit to drink. Should I be watching myself? Am I mad to even consider drinking considering the above, I'm thinking if I continue to play with fire I might get burned.
Does anyone know to what degree addiction is genetic.

humanji

Alcoholism isn't genetic, but it can be psychological. As you say, it's caused you to be worried, which is a good thing that you are aware of it.

And yes, you should be watching how much you drink. Not necessarilly because of you family's past, but because it's generally unhealthy to drink too much. Just take it easy. You don't need to get plastered everytime you go out. And if it worries you that much then just don't drink.

jdivision

Whether it's genetic or not is still open to question but there is a weight of evidence that suggests it is. It killed my grandfather and my uncle, another uncle on same side was told if he drank again he'd probably die.

alias06

[Quote/]Whether it's genetic or not is still open to question but there is a weight of evidence that suggests it is.

It certainly is a subject of debate as to what extent genetic factors play a role in alcoholism but I have to disagree with the statement "the weight of evidence suggests that it is" genetic. There is no hard evidence to suggest a genetic link, i.e. no genes responsible for alcoholism have ever been identified.
The only reason people argue for genetic factors is because alcoholism can often be seen to run in families. All kinds of patterns of behaviour run in families, including sexual abuse, domestic violence, political affiliation, etc. No suggests these patterns of behaviour are genetic. The patterns of destructive behaviour which make a person more vulnerable to alcoholism run in families. Also, it is possible that children are following the example of their parents and relatives when drinking to cope with their problems.

Talliesin

Whether it's genetic or not isn't that important.

It does seem to run in families, and nurture vs. nature is pretty academic if you're developping serious liver problems or screwing up your life.

It's wise to be careful in what drugs one takes, including alcohol, in any case. If there's a family history it makes all the more sense to be careful.

The flip-side to this is that if you do develop an addiction problem you can bull**** yourself along the lines of "well, I couldn't help it, it's a genetic thing" and that could give you a crutch to avoid dealing with things.

monkeyfudge

There is actually a gene variation that dulls the taste buds to bitter flavours and it has been shown that people with this variation drink twice as much alcohol as those with more sensitive palates.

Alcoholism runs in my family too... So it is always something I keep at the back of my mind.

dame

RegUN wrote:

Me, I typically go out Fridays and Sats and have quite a bit to drink. Should I be watching myself? Am I mad to even consider drinking considering the above, I'm thinking if I continue to play with fire I might get burned.
Does anyone know to what degree addiction is genetic.

We should all watch how much we drink and nobody should be going out getting rat-faced two nights week. You haven't said you go out to get pissed and I'd say you are in fact probably conscious not to, but remember the more we drink the more tolerance we build up so the more we can drink without feeling like we've lost control. If you think you've increased the amount you drink over the years then maybe you should think about cutting down a bit, similarly if you find yourself craving it at any stage.

I don't know if alcoholism is genetically influenced but I do believe there is such a thing as an addictive personality. For example, I have one sister who has smoked for years and insists she has to have coke (drink not cocaine ) every moring at breakfast. She also likes her drink but doesn't have a problem with it (yet anyway). That's a bit of a silly illustration but I do think some people just get addicted to substances (or routines) easier than others.

biko

Like dame said, there may be a streak of addictive personality in the family. This can then manifest in different ways - smoking, drinking, drugs, eating, sex etc

A large American study has found that men are twice as likely as women to have a substance dependence disorder, with a lifetime prevalence of almost 36 per cent for men and 18 per cent for women. In other words, over one third of the male population of the US have been dependent on alcohol or drugs at some stage of their lives. This is US mind but numbers is likely to be similar in other western countries.

rapp

Personality, moods, behaviour etc runs in families to a certain extent. People with low mood, depression, anxiety, inability to cope with stress etc., use alcohol for temporary relief. I personally wouldnt say its genetic but low mood is - chicken or egg story.

I've often thought that some people who consume large amounts of alcohol particularly winos (red wine) might actually be doing so due to vitamin deficiencies or lack of particular enzymes that affects the breakdown of alcohol resulting in a better 'enlightened high' when they drink but drifting towards a few days of depression when coming off it. I personally get a better buzz off alcohol when curing a hangover than drinking 10 pints.

An addictive personality is more like someone with naturally low levels of dopamine in the brain rather than someone born to obsessively consume certain items because they are programmed to do so.

NutJob

Its not genetic My father is alcoholic, his father before, and his father before him. Nether me or my brother drink heavily.

But what i will say is as a kid i grew up in pubs and considered this behavior normal into early teens.

The dangers are purely psychological and can serve as a wake up call when you realise its not normal and they don't stay functional forever.

Life is what you make of it and its sensible advice for anyone to watch your drinking.

dudara

It's a case of nurture vs nature. Whether it's genetic or not, over-exposure to it in your formative years can definitely leave an influence.

The biggest weapon against this affliction is to be self-aware of how much you drink and when you drink.