It has been proven to be genetic. On the short side of what I've read apparently when someone has the gene drinking releases more dopamine into the system which makes alcohol be x amount of times more addictive than people who don't carry the gene. I think that there is more than one.
I worry for my son, he is very young but I will talk to him about alcoholism when he gets older. I will do my best to make sure he doesn't go through what I did.
It's funny, I said I would never have children because of how i was raised and i didn't think i would be a good mother. I got pregnant and decided to have him and it has been a blessing. There is a decent chance of him becoming an alcoholic if genetics are a factor. I worry about it a lot. The best thing I can hope for is to remain sober and keep him well informed about alcohol. I was warned, I saw it first hand and I am an alcoholic. But as Double Dragons said, Brutal Honesty is the only way I see to try to prevent it happening to him and to live by example.