Is drug addiction and alcoholism , hereditary ?

Question

Did you ever notice where alcoholic fathers seem to have drug addict sons or daughters.. my cousin, a female had a alcoholic father and turned out with drug addiction problems?

Answer 1

It is not genetic it is a learned trait. The research seems to be at odds in this matter they are Small links but it fall's more under learned trait. Here is some research to read.
Researchers at the University of South Florida and James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital have found a gene believed to play a small role in drug, alcohol and cigarette addiction.

In a finding published in the March issue of the journal Molecular Psychiatry, the researchers said the gene variation is likely one of many genetic and environmental factors that increases the risk of becoming an addict.

Geneticists are continuing to search for other genes that might contribute to the addictions, said John Schinka, a researcher at the Tampa veterans' hospital.

``It explains a small percentage of the risk, but hopefully we can build on it,'' Schinka said Monday.

``If we can find five or six more of these genes, we can understand the biochemistry and we can develop some medications that can enhance treatment.''

The researchers had been studying the genetic basis for addiction since 1997 and initially discovered a relationship between alcohol dependence and the mu-opioid gene.

Medical science has long maintained that about half the risk of becoming an alcoholic is inherited, but finding the genes that make even a small contribution to the risk of addiction has been challenging.

The Tampa researchers compared the gene patterns of alcoholics to people who were not addicted and found that alcoholics had an abundance of the mu-opioid gene.

The gene has to be inherited from both the addict's mother and father to play a role in the addiction, Schinka said.

Researchers extended their study to 179 people in a substance-abuse treatment program at the veterans' hospital, comparing them to 297 healthy, elderly people on Florida's Gulf coast with varying levels of cigarette and alcohol usage.

Using DNA taken from blood samples, the researchers found people who have the variation don't automatically become addicts, he said.

But the gene configuration was found most frequently in groups of people who drank and smoked, and in almost 90 percent of those treated for abusing several drugs, the researchers said.

``It certainly makes the argument that this is a disease,'' Schinka said. ``Are there things you can do to avoid getting the diseases? Obviously yes

Answer 2

Drug addiction is hereditary when the mother is stuck in her addiction up to a certain time of the actual birth. Not neccesarily during the pregnancy, but it would carry over to the child if the mother continued into her pregnancy. The child would inherit the addictive dependancy from the mother.
Now the child will learn the lifestyle and certain actions from the parents including alcoholism and drug dependancy only if these addictions continue during the childs formative years. Its learned behavior in the case of the father. There is some debate as to whether alcoholism can be a trait in our genes but not enough evidence has been found to support the idea. At this point, sociologist and psychologist seem to feel that the dependancy is a learned attribute not aquired. People emulate the life that they know. If you see alcoholism around you, you will most likely copy that life style.

Answer 3

Although there is evidence to suggest an inherited tendency towards substance abuse- no one has been able to specifically say where the genetic influence begins and ends, and where the environmental influence begins or ends. It is more likely for children coming from addictive family backgrounds to have the problems, but whether this is a learned response or due to the genetics is a good question. Children from the same family and parents can also not have problems with drugs or alcohol- so it isn't strictly either one. Having a family history of abuse also makes it harder for the person to be sucessful in recovery, since they aren't likely to find support within the family. When I did alcohol/drug rehab counselling, I actually saw family members try to sabotage recovery deliberately. I've also seen them enable in-patients by supplying them with drugs or alcohol on request. One of my most vivid memories was of an entire family coming to visit a "cousin", and bringing the most crocked picnic lunch I've ever laid eyes on. The fried chicken had been marinated in beer and fried in beer batter. One slice of the sweet potato pie would have gotten you a DUI, and the tea was spiked with vodka. They would probably gotten away with it, except grannie was too proud of the pie and offered a piece to a staff member. I have no idea if the cousin was sucessful in recovery after he left us, although I seriously doubt it. Not with a family like that. Most of them had been court ordered to treatment at one time or another, for alcohol and drugs- and we all knew that the next generation was going to follow along. They weaned off one bottle onto a different kind. Then again, I knew a girl at college who wouldn't touch a drop, because her parents were both alcoholics and she'd seen what it did to them. So there are arguments both ways.

Answer 4

ABSOLUTELY!!!! It is true that alcoholism is hereditary, It is actually in your genes. I have been exposed to it my whole life. My father died of it at 41. My brother is an alcoholic, my dad's sis was his father was etc... also my ex was one, his mother was addicted to drugs and alcohol, her father was etc... I have researched extensively on this, so I would be able to counteract the nasty effect's of children of alcoholics. I wanted to help myself and my children. I have told my oldest boys over and over, if they choose to drink, they will have about a 95% chance of being one themselves. Those were my odds on being one or marrying one. You do what you are used to, its all I knew, so I married one. Now Im smarter, I insist my kids know how to avoid it or at least keep tabs on it if they do choose to drink. I also want them all to know what the side effects of being exposed to it as a child, it makes it very hard to have relationships for example. Its better they know that it is a result of themselves and not the other person so they can change those traits. I also want them to know what they will be doing to their children should they become one. Most alcoholics are oblivious to their effect on others. They ruin lives, not always purposely but without thinking. They are almost always very controlling due to their life being so out of control. They learn to control the only thing they can, the ones they love. Unfortuneatly it usually is in a mean or abusive way. If your in this position please go to an A.C.O.A. class to get the info you need to better yourself. They are free, call the county you live in or watch the paper to find one in your town. It will be the best thing you ever did for yourself.

Answer 5

I don't know if there is a gene or anything like that but addictions do tend to run in families. Alcoholism is considered a "family disease" because everyone is affected and children of alcoholics are more likely to become alcoholics themselves if they don't seek help.

Answer 6

Simply put, some of us are born with a gene
that makes us be 'potential addicts', whether to alcohol, drugs, nicotine, caffeine, etc...

Normally, unaware of this, when we try to kick one habit, we actually do it by starting another (but not necessarily one mentioned above).

Example: When I quit drinking alcohol, I became addicted to Coca Cola. Later I realized this when my nephew explained this
'addictive gene' to me, I realized I had replaced my addiction with another, but thankfully with something less dangerous.
I hope this helped.

Answer 7

We as parents ,portray a way of life to our kids.If we drink heavy or take drugs, then they have a good chance of following, especialy if they feel their life has been acceptable.Sometimes where drugs & alcohol have shown violence in a family, it can make a person determined to not go down that path.

Answer 8

Nature and nurture both play a role. Roger Williams PHD studied this years back and found that persons requiring more B vitamins tended to have more risk of being alcoholic, and if they were given vitamin supplements, they were often able to overcome their problem with less difficulty.

Answer 9

Very much so. It has been proven that if you have a parent that is an addict your chances of your child having an addictive behavior is 50/50. If both parents are addicts, your childs chance of being an addict is much higher.

Answer 10

The tendency can be inherited. For some cultures, such as Natives, there is actually a chromosomal difference that causes us to be less protected against alcoholism.