Our hereditary behaviors interact with our environment to form the basis of our decisions. Some people are more sensitive to stress, making it harder to cope with an unhealthy relationship or a fast-paced job. Some people experience a traumatizing event and turn to alcohol to self-medicate. Get professional help from an online addiction and mental health counselor from BetterHelp.

Williams, 59, first learned of her brain damage in 2019 when she had entered a Florida rehab facility, but she didn’t receive the official dementia and aphasia diagnosis until 2023. Wendy Williams’ son revealed his mother’s frontotemporal dementia is due to her alcoholism. Alcoholism is a disease that does not discriminate and can impact anyone – regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, body type or personal beliefs. These facts indicate the depth and significance of alcoholism impacting various demographics within our society. This is why alcoholism is so prevalent within our society and the third leading cause of preventable death within the United States.

What are the chances of inheriting AUD from your parents?

There are also behavioral genes passed down that could influence a propensity for alcoholism. Mental illnesses, such as depression and schizophrenia, are more common in people with a family history of these disorders. People with mental illness have a higher risk of turning to substance abuse as a way of coping.

• When you’re surrounded by people who drink excessively, you can look at alcohol use differently and fall victim to bad habits.
• Most GWAS are case-control studies or studies of quantitative traits in
  unrelated subjects, but family-based GWAS provide another approach.
• COGA researchers have also analyzed candidate genes—genes suspected to play a role in the development of alcoholism based on other studies.
• Most robust associations that have been reported in common disease have
  employed tens of thousands of samples and are now beginning to combine several
  studies of these magnitude into even larger meta analyses.
• Anecdotal evidence shows that alcohol misuse can result from genetic factors.
• Children of people with AUD have a significantly higher risk of developing the disorder.

The influencing factors impacting a person’s life and subsequent personal choices can both inspire them to achieve greatness and drive them into the darkness of a life-threatening addiction to alcohol or another illicit substance. AUD often requires professional medical attention, especially if you’ve developed an alcohol dependence. However, it’s important to understand that people react to treatment differently.

Are Children of Alcoholics More Likely to Become Alcoholics?

Mental disorders can be hereditary (and environmental), which partially illuminates the complex link between genetics and addiction. However, how you cope with these feelings can impact certain behavioral traits. For example, people with high stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions are more vulnerable to developing alcoholism. In these types of circumstances, alcohol is often used to suppress feelings and relieve the symptoms of psychological disorders.

• Environmental factors can also play a role in determining whether someone develops this condition.
• While the terms “genetic” and “hereditary” are sometimes used interchangeably, Resurgence Behavioral Health clarifies the distinction.
• Environmental factors, as well as gene and environment interactions, account for the remainder of the risk.

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) often seems to run in families, and we may hear about scientific studies of an “alcoholism gene.” Genetics certainly influence our likelihood of developing AUD, but the story isn’t so simple. Family, twin, and adoption studies have shown that alcoholism definitely has a genetic component. In 1990, Blum et al. proposed an association between the A1 allele of the DRD2 gene and alcoholism. The DRD2 gene was the first candidate gene that showed promise of an association with alcoholism.

Does Alcoholism Run in Families?

Our DNA dictates our physical characteristics (such as eye color) and also our behavioral characteristics (such as aggression). It’s a chronic condition characterized by excessive and compulsive consumption of alcohol, despite harmful consequences. By staying informed, seeking alcohol treatment when necessary, and leveraging resources from institutions like the NIAAA, individuals can chart a path toward recovery and resilience.

When you’re surrounded by people who drink excessively, you can look at alcohol use differently and fall victim to bad habits. Research has shown a close link between alcoholism and biological factors, particularly genetics and physiology. While some individuals can can you inherit alcoholism limit the amount of alcohol they consume, others feel a strong impulse to keep going. For some, alcohol gives off feelings of pleasure, encouraging the brain to repeat the behavior. Repetitive behavior like this can make you more vulnerable to developing alcoholism.

Alcohol Addiction And Genetics

Those immersed in high-stress occupations or environments often tend to heavy alcohol consumption, more so than those in less stressful situations. Recent research from Indiana University has shed light on the significant role genes play in the development of alcohol use disorders (AUDs). An estimated one-third of alcohol abusers report experiencing a mental illness. Excessive alcohol consumption costs the United States more than $220 billion each year which combines lost productivity, health care costs, criminal justice costs and other effects.