Genetics?? Could be a part of it!!!

[laurie6781]

I know most of us at some time have wondered whether our addictions or the addictions of family and loved ones could be or is it? genetic.

Well here's the latest.......

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0417013630.htm

You decide for yourself.

Love and (((((to all))))),

[Chy]

Ever since I was a little girl, before I knew I was destined to be alcoholic, I've always thought genetics did play a part in it. As a young girl I thought it just runs in the family as casually as brown eyes. I saw alcoholism for the first time in my grandmother. Then a few others in my family history. It's just one of those things in my mind, I know to be true. How significant it is, how much a part it plays I don't know. It's just one thing I do believe in when it comes to us alcoholics/addicts being the way we are. For some reason God just thought we're special that way.

[Dan]

"Once specific genes that increase or decrease risk are known, we will be in a better position to figure out exactly what the environmental factors might be and, perhaps, how they can be modified to protect people who are genetically at risk."

Until then, the alcoholic gene remains a myth.

[WingsFreed]

Personally I think genetics plays a big part. With myself I don't know, looks suspicious though. I gotta say it scares me half to death because of my grown children, breaks my heart, and I still can't set a good example as hard as I try.

My husband his father is an alkie, history repeats itself with hubs.

As a child I have vague memories of an uncle my fathers only brother who passed away at a young age, he was an alkie that's my memories of him, sad isn't it? My father didn't handle his booze so well, it was my mother who kept him in line, other wise. There three sons, all alkies, so I'm convinced it's genetic in a larger percentage of people, I envy the one's who don't fall prey to this trap.

[yeahme]

Firm believer in the genetics here. My grandfather is an alkie, LOTS of cousins that are addicts and/or alkies. My father and I recently talked about his drinking and then there's me. My mother is one of those good girls that never even had a drink until she was in her late 20's and drugs.........NO WAY. Not ever!! Un-freakin-believeable! I guess I take after my dad in the addiction gene.

[sigh]

Well, my dad was an alcoholic, both my brothers are alcoholics and my son is a heroin addict. Now doesn't that sound a high contender for the most dysfunctional family and I guess at times we were.

When I was very young (17) I knew exactly what I wanted, a happy family. I set out to create it, I did a pretty darn good job also. I married a man that loved me and was nothing like my dad, in saying that what I mean was he was not Irish, he did not drink, he did not punch holes in walls and when he had an issue he 'discusses' it, he still does. He's not like my dad, he's not like my brothers, all of whom are wonderful men when the addiction takes a back seat and gives in to recovery.

From the time my son was born until he went to college, things were good, we had it, we had a happy home. I was, I thought successful. I had done it, I had created an environment in which addiction could not flourish. Then I found out my son was addicted to heroin.

Well that news just humbled me beyond words and I went into a living hell with him for years. My son had never gotten in trouble at school, he had good grades, he played baseball, he was active in scouts the family went to parks and fun places on weekends. We ate dinner at the table together and we laughed, the house was filled with laughter and then the laughter stopped. My son was addicted to heroin, hell not only did the laughter stop so did my heart and my world.

When my dad died I think he was around 18 years sober, my brothers are 12 and 9 years sober, my son is 14 months clean and sober, and the laughter has returned.

My family has a long hard history with addiction, it also has a long strong history with recovery.

I don't need a report, I know in my heart it's genetic.

sigh

[Susane]

No alcoholics or addicts of any persuasion on my side of the family for the past 100 hundred years; on Phil's side... Uncle, sister in recovery 18 months, parents in recovery many years, grandparents now deceased.
I think your bloodline definitley plays a part.

[BigSis]

Oh, I always thought it ran in families - I was drinking with the kids of every "town drunk" within 20 miles... and I was the daughter of one myself.

But *I* thought it was environmental. *I* thought I could control alcoholism by changing the environment. *I* had a plan.

Sooo, when Mr. Big and I met and married, HE (surprised me, too) suggested we quit drinking and drugging since we were focused on starting a family. So we did. Yep - just like that.

Without a program, we were some of the meanest, most controlling, judmental pair you could shake a stick at. But we raised the kids in a clean and sober home, we involved them (and us) in all the right activities, we (tried) to monitor friends, we were Scout moms and dads, and Soccer moms and dads, and went to every choir concert and band concert and recital.....

And both kids developed addiction anyway.

Imagine that.

Then I started reading about the idea of a genetic connection and it sure seemed "right" to me.

Do I think you can make an addict or alcoholic - of course! Stick a needle in my arm often enough, and I will be addicted. And I also believe in a genetic predisposition.

My mom (alcoholic of an alcoholic of an alcoholic - he was 39 years AA) told me when she "noticed" I had started my drinking career. You know, she said, you need to be careful about your drinking. You are part Indian, and Indians can't drink.



My Dad was like 1/56th Cherokee... so I am 1/112th, and SHE was the active addict causing the most chaos in my life, but it was HIS bloodline I should worry about?

Nahhh.... we ALL contributed.

[Gabe]

Originally Posted by BigSis

Mr. Big

I bet he loves it when you call him that.

[Hopefloats]

Gabe....

When my daughter was little a doctor told me, given the family history that my daughter had a 3 percent chance of becoming an alcoholic without ever taking a drink. Now remember...this was many years ago. Daughter is going to be 33 in July. It always stuck with me I suppose...but did I really understand it? Not at all. I kept thinking "without ever taking a drink???" and what "was" that all about?

Today of course that makes a whole lot of sense to me. In my daughter's dads side of the family, he is an alcoholic as was his mom. She died from drinking. I don't know about about daughter's grandfather on that side as he died young.

On my side, my grandmother was an alcoholic. My dad's 6 brothers all drank. My mom and dad were not drinkers at all. I indulged in some drinking and some drugs in my younger days. Had fun (I thought) and walked away. NO problem what-so-ever. My sister is not a drinker and does not use drugs. She also indulged some...and just walked away as well. My neice? I just worry about, but I don't know the extent of her drinkng. She is 22. Her dad and his side of the family are heavy drinkers.

My daughter as you all know is a heroin addict.
I believe in the gene theory, for sure.

[paperdolls]

I definitely believe it's genetic. My dad has been sober since 1970ish, since before I was born. I remember him telling me as a child that he was an alcoholic and we (all the kids) had a greater chance of becoming one as well.

I started drinking at age 13. I've known I had a problem with alcohol since I was 16. Since then, my mother came out that she had a problem. She spent about 4 years, 6 half-way houses, and at least one near-death experience trying to get sober. She has now been sober for almost 3 years.

I sometimes wonder about my older brother having a problem with alcohol. He still parties hard although he does have a great job and is very involved in lots of activities. If he does have a problem, at this point, he is still very functional. I know that all three of us tend to get VERY drunk when we drink.

So......to sum up this long-a$$ post. Yeah, I believe in the gene theory too.

~doll