Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Is alcoholism inherited?

The theme of the debate is much medical alcohol may pass their illness to their children? Many signs are pointing to yes, but not in the typical way.

With a "typical" disease, our genetic heritage can help if we are more vulnerable to diseases like Cancer, or other medical conditions. However there is no genetic material that will make our children feel like alcohol.

So that means that there are certain personality traits that can be inherited from ourgenetic composition that could make our children more likely to turn to alcohol across the board? Studies show there, even if these characteristics are usually only partially hereditary.

So while it is not hereditary, alcohol can pass from one generation to another because of the influence of the environment. If you are a child of an alcoholic you are 4 times more likely to grow up to become an alcoholic than someone who is not a child of an alcoholic. This is trueeven if you live in a house with an alcoholic and it should not be a parent. This could be a brother or an aunt who lives with you. If you think about it, it makes much sense. You watch your parents grow up with this behavior and it tends to be drawn. You become a product of your environment. If you grow up learning that the only way to cope with a stressful situation is to drink a glass is what you do.

I have a childhood friend whose mother was aalcoholic and it's sad to say, she began drinking when she was seventeen. At 21, she was a full flight alcoholic who insisted everyone that she has not had an alcohol problem and could not stop drinking when she wanted. These were the exact words she had heard her mother many times throughout these years. It was his mother died of liver failure that has finally woken up and she got her eyes open. She finally got help by joining AA and has been sober for 4years.

This does not mean however, that everyone who grew up in a house with an alcoholic is linked to an alcoholic, there's just a greater risk. There are people who realize that what they see at home is not always right and they take steps to avoid falling into the same pitfalls they have seen. My husband comes from a family of alcoholics. His uncle, brother and cousin are all recovering alcoholics. Because of what he has seen pass by them, and he looked down everdeeper into the illness he has given to drink after our first daughter was born almost 2 years.

So while it is not transmitted from generation to generation by our genes, it can be transmitted from generation to generation.

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