PAC86

I tend to believe that addiction is a matter of nature and not nurture. I have seen too many cases of addiction that can not be explained by the environment that an addict was raised in. I grew up in a dysfunctional home where substance abuse was common. I and many others always assumed that I was just a product of my environment. However, my father and uncles did not grow up in a dysfunctional home where substance abuse was common and they are all alcoholics. I am not certain about my one uncle's drinking but he certainly acts like an alcoholic. Also, one of my first drinking buddies was the son of a recovered addict who was also a counselor. He grew up in a drug free recovery orientated home and he still became an alcoholic. He got sober the year before I did after getting two DUIs. Also, the young woman in my area who recently over dosed was the daughter of two recovered alcoholics who were sober years before she was born. Addiction must be genetic or at least caused by some factor other than environment. What are your thoughts on the nature vs. nurture.

dox

Alcoholism:

For some of us it's nature.
For some of us it's nurture.
For some of us it's both.
For some of us it's neither.

Now, what are we going to do about it?

Our alcoholism, that is.
.

PAC86

If addiction was the result of nurture than in some sense it could be blamed on others. For example, people like me could blame my parents due to the fact that I was raised in an environment where drug use was acceptable. If I look at it from that perspective than I can say that I was a victim and can not be held accountable for my actions since I knew no other way until I was 25.

paulokes

Why is there always an 'Or' in these things?

P

tursiops999

I dunno. I suspect it's a bit of both.

I had at least 2 grandparents who were alcoholic -- my mother's mother, and father's father. My parents didn't really drink at all -- very light social drinking when I was growing up (like 1 drink, 4 times a year at parties). They had four kids, and all of us were big drinkers (I'm an alcoholic, but I don't want to label my siblings ... they're still drinking).

So us four kids didn't grow up with active alcoholism in our home, but we probably were impacted by it indirectly, as my parents had some "adult children of alcoholics" issues. Hard to sort out how much my alcoholism is nature, and how much nurture, but I think a good chunk of it is nature.

freshstart57

I drank way too much for too long. That's what did it for me.

PAC86

I have a cousin who is an alcoholic and his upbringing can not be blamed. Neither of his parents drank heavily. My cousin was raised in a supportive home and was encouraged to excel in life. He was a good student and athlete in high school. However, he went off to college and discovered booze and drugs. Once the obsession was unleashed he went down hill fast. His father (my uncle) does drink occasionally on special occasions but I have never seen him get out of control. I also know that he used to do drugs when he was younger but gave them up when he had children. He might still smoke weed on occasion. I also know that his father was an alcoholic. Cases like that lead me to believe that it is genetic. Why is my cousin an alcoholic but his father is not? His father seems to be able to control his drinking and drug use.

PAC86

I used to hear a lot of alcoholics blame their drinking on their ethic heritage. I live in north eastern PA and there is an old coal mining city in my area that was rated fourth in the country for binge drinking. At one time this particular city was predominately inhabited by certain ethic groups from Europe which have a reputation for drinking heavily. Although the city is now a melting pot of many ethnic groups the culture of hard drinking is still prevalent. Some of it may also have to do with the large number of colleges and universities in that city.

emilynghiem

Dear P
From what I have learned, heard and read about the spiritual healing process that addresses "generational" ills inherited from the past,
I see it as both. some of the nature/inborn issues can still be resolved and healed, but some of the layers stacked on come from social actions that the mind carries memories of to add to the cycle of addiction or abuse.

So both the levels need to be addressed: what is carried and past down generationally and the memories/actions added on later.

Both of types of factors need to be identified, forgiven and healed.

Resources I recommend for understanding generational healing:
"Healing" by Dr. Francis MacNutt edition 1999 or later
Christian Healing Ministries - Christian Healing Ministries

Healingisyours.com Dr. Phillip Goldfedder

The Healing Light by Agnes Sanford

which I posted on a reference list recommended for medical research:
http://www.spiritual-healing.us

Our minds and bodies are designed to self-heal, so when that doesn't happen that means there is something causing obstruction. Most medicine deals with physical obstructions and abnormalities and how to cure or treat that. the spiritual healing addresses areas where unforgiveness has created a blockage, and where forgiving that issue memory or incident can open up channels for natural healing to restore the mind and body.

The most extreme forms of healing involve removing foreign negative energy "demons" that are outside the person's free will and ability to get rid of on their own. This is called either deliverance or exorcism prayer, and even Scott Peck wrote about trying this method and finding out it actually worked. See Glimpses of the Devil and People of the Lie, two books he wrote about applying this therapy to treating otherwise incureable schizophrenic or sociopathic patients.

Because some of these tendencies were either born or inflicted by abuse beyond the person's free will, then it took more than just the person's free will to remove these obstructions and obsessions making them chronically sick. it took team prayer to overcome the oppressive energies that hijacked the patients' free will; so that after they were freed they regained their normal mind and reason they didn' t have before.

this to me explains why addicted people not only can't get help but fight off help. it is one of the symptoms of the demonic sickness that invades the person's psyche like a virus or parasite living off the host and doesn't want to be removed! so the exorcism prayers are like a strong antibiotic that can kill off the virus so the person's symptoms will go away. This will not happen until the invading virus is removed. Once that is gone then the patient can comply with normal therapy and medical treatment.

Tommyh

I drank too much too long and crossed the invisible line
thats me
I can`t blame my drinking on mom and dad
no one ever made me drink
I wasn`t born a alcoholic so I can`t blame it on God
that means I take responsibility for ever drop I drank
we are the ones who are responsibile

PAC86

But what factors compelled you to start drinking? I feel that I was driving to abuse substances because of unbearable emotional and psychological pain. Depression, anxiety, social insecurity, ect.

Music

Correct and you can remain a victim instead of becoming a "victor". What does finding "blame" accomplish anyway? It doesn't change the fact that I'm alcoholic. Neither of my parents were drinkers and yet, here I am. I heard early on that "analyzing paralyses". I can ponder about things I can't do anything about, or I can get into action, pick up the tools laid at my feet and get to work. Trust God, Clean House, Help Others!

Gottalife

I have it on good authority that its about 50/50 genetics and environment. This explains why, if the genetic switch isn't tripped by some environmental factor, alcoholism can seem to skip a generation. If it's not in the parents, it can be in the grand parents etc.

Environmental factors might include seemingly inconsequential things such as having a mother with no emotional link to her children. Characteristics of alcoholism have a whole load of behavioral issues aside from drinking. Control, co-dependency etcetera. One could live in a "dry drunk" house hold where not a drop of alcohol is consumed. These background factors seem to be possible triggers to activate the dis-ease, though much more low key than things like abuse or PTSD.

The upshot of all this is the individual may not feel they belong in this world, that is until they find the solution, alcohol. That makes everything alright. Until it doesn't.

Tommyh

if I was to make a educated answer,based on my inventory experience,I would say it was mostly due to my emotional immuturity

2muchpain

I was raised in a very abusive home and I think that contributed to my alcoholism, but I don't blame my father for it and I don't see myself as a victim. He treated me the way he was treated. He didn't know any better. Yes, I was a victim as a child, but not anymore. Using my childhood issues, or any wrongs that have been done to me, is a sure fire way to continue drinking or drugging. Gotta move on. John

mfanch

Nature or Nurture?

For me it is irrelevant.

Now.....do I want to DO something about my addiction? THAT is relevant.

:-)

paul99

I stopped asking "why?" a long time ago. It's irrelevant at this point for me, as I am looking to stay in the solution rather than delve into the factors that may or may not have had me becoming a 10%'er. Having said that, do I worry about my boys becoming alcoholics? Sure do. All I can do is give them an emotionally stable and supportive environment and later on, when they are of an appropriate age, discuss things like alcohol and drugs with them. Whether they go down that rabbit hole is not something I can probably control if it's genetic. Then again...what do I know? I am just grateful to be here