Is Alcoholism Hereditary? Yes and No

Children of alcoholics are four times more likely to grow up to be an alcoholic than any other children, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. (NCADI: Fact is Alcoholism Runs in Families). This does not mean that alcoholism is hereditary. Alcoholism can and does skip some generations. But if one of our parents is an alcoholic, we are at a higher risk of developing it, too. Just like most diseases, alcoholism definitely has genetic factors.

My Dad drank heavily every night after my Mom passed away. Was he an alcoholic? That can be argued both ways. Did it interfere with his life? Definitely. Did it cause problems? No, it didn't. My brother and I are alcoholics. My older sister and brother are not. My mother was not an alcoholic but she suffered from terrible anxiety and depression (she ended up taking her own life). My brother and I have anxiety and depression just as she did. I believe "genetic predisposition" and "at high risk" are better terms to use when referring to the generational transference of mental illness, substance abuse and other diseases.

Webster's Dictionary defines genetic as "Of or pertaining to the origin or development of something; of our relating genetics." Gene is stated in the Webster's Dictionary as "A functional unit on a chromosome, responsible for the transmission of hereditary characteristics." In some cases, the gene skips a generation or is not inherited. This means that even though our father or mother is an alcoholic it does not mean that we will become an alcoholic.

Is Alcoholism Hereditary? Yes and No

Alcoholism is influenced by both hereditary and environmental factors. Addictions, particularly addictions to alcohol tend to run in families and it is known that genes play a role in this process. Research has shown that people who have/had alcoholic parents are more likely to develop the same disorder themselves.

Is alcoholism genetic? There are many illnesses that run in families: diabetes, heart disease and cancer, just to name a few. However, this does not mean that they are genetic. Recent studies have determined that genetics plays a vital role in the development of alcoholism but the exact genes or genetic pathways to addiction have not been found. At this time, it is thought that the genetic tendency toward alcoholism in a person does not ensure that he or she will become an alcoholic. In effect, the determination of genetic risk is only a determination of higher risk toward the addiction and not necessarily an indication of future alcoholism. It has been said that the person with the genetic predisposition to alcoholism is an alcoholic at birth whether or not he or she ever takes a drink. Taking the drink initiates the disease into its active phase.

In conclusion, even though alcoholism may run in our family it does not mean that we will become an alcoholic. Alcoholism does have genetic factors but is not necessarily hereditary. I cannot pass being an alcoholic down to the next generation. Not everyone in my family will inherit this gene. Only a person who has inherited that gene and picks up his/her first drink can become an alcoholic. It does not matter whether we are rich or poor, young or old, black, white, Hispanic, male or female, alcoholism has no respect for the person. It is an equal opportunity destroyer. No one every hopes or wishes to grow up to be an alcoholic. But today I am a grateful recovering one.

Is Alcoholism Hereditary? Yes and No
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