1963comet

Does anyone have any answers to this? I have heard that I was born this way. Or I turned myself into an addictive person. I do have a family history, but two out of five kids ended up drinking.

Any thoughts???

nandm

I don't believe anyone truely can answer that question. Personally, I believe that it is a combination of a genetic predisposition combined with environmental factors the set us up for the disease of alcoholism. The genetic link explains to me the reason it tends to run in families. But I also think that the alcoholic behaviors are carried from generation to generation as they are learned from their parents. Sounds like I am on the fence here but I really am not as I do believe it is both genetic and environmental.

nolonger

Both, either, neither, who knows. It's something you can idly speculate on after you get well clear of it. Before that, it's probably not too good to think about it too much - there can be no clear answer, and it can be a distraction from the pragmatic question of "what do I do about it?" which is the one to concentrate on.

CarolD

Let me use this line from Gone With The Wind to answer

jimhere

I don't believe it matters, at least not for me. The fact of the matter is that I have alcoholism, a progressive, chronic, fatal illness if not arrested. Why I have it is not important. Whether I was born with it or became an alcoholic at some point doesn't matter. I know that I can't do anything about it. I think alcoholics always want to know why so that maybe they can figure out what to do about it.
Jim

Sugah

I'm more or less in agreement with the answers above. I've heard people describe a crossing over into alcoholism, whereas I know I reacted alcoholically the very first time I drank enough to feel it (at six years old).

We have an expression in these parts: It doesn't matter how the donkey got in the ditch. The important thing is to get the donkey out of the ditch. And that works for me.

Peace & Love,
Sugah

barb dwyer

I come from a long line of alcoholics ... and I like to hang that tag on situations and traits as often as I think I can get away with it.

But I'm also of a mind that it's a personality long before it becomes a substance.

It's one of those chicken and egg things.

Who cares so long as ya get breakfast, ya know?

SaTiT

not really sure, I come from a family with a history.
But not all of my aunt and uncles drinks or are alcoholic.

My gf parents aren't alcoholics but she probably the worst
alki I know, except for my dad. Probably becuasse I live with
both of these people and they had a profound effect in my life.
My mom dosen't drink, My sisters dosen't drink.

I guess i just got lucky. i came into recovery at a young age
becuase...I guess i was sick in so many ways aside from just
drinking. I didn't really know what a healthy or rather a normal
life was. No sob story, but my childhood and most of my life
was wacked. What mess me up was..i thought as i grow older
that would somehow just grow out of those stage and trun
into a normal human being...it didn't work out like that.
Bascailly did the sametype of behaviors as a dtsfuntioning home.
Look good on the outside and all F-up on the inside.
But I didn't really understand or comprehend any of it until
I came into recovery..I knew there was something not right
as i was growing..as i side, just never thought it was linked
to alcoholism. i didn't even know what AA was.

it effects me profoundly growning put in a dysfuntioning home
And most dysfuntioning home looks like the Cleavers on the surface.
It's part if the denial I guess.

That's why I also looked into acoa as part of my recovery.
It's helping a lot to heal.

I guess i pick up traits from both of my parents. I'm alki and codi.
dad is a drunk and mom tried to keep it all together.

I'm a bit more confused at times thou..the signals gets really crossed.lol
I get mixed signals from my parents.lol

mmm you get scramble eggs in my case

Stobert

nandm puts well exactly what I was going to respond, and I'll give you my family as a example: on my maternal grandmother's side, we are all (with one exception that I know of) either active alcoholics, in recovery or dead from alcoholism-related illness. The only exception is a first cousin who, last time I spent any time with her, showed no symptoms of alcoholism. My mother, my link to the genetic side of the disease, died of alcoholism-related preumonia, probably fostered by malnutrition. When she was dying of pneumonia in the hospital, they were also treating her for withdrawal. My 35 year old daughter is alcoholic, sober for 20 years following intervention when she was 15. She was longtime sober when I was in treatment four years ago, very humbling. Interestingly, I never knew my grandmother to take a drink, she maintained that she didn't like how alcohol affected her. She died 25 years ago in her 80s, now I wish I had the opportunity to ask her some questions about how and why she abstained from alcohol. I also have been exposed to the environmental side of alcoholism, having spent 30+ years in the Navy, a hard-drinking lifestyle with, up until the last few years, a high tolerance toward alcohol related misbehavior. To its credit and my great benefit, the Navy accepts and treats alcoholism as a disease and provides excellent treatment and support.

Doug

If you knew the answer, what would it change?

1963comet

Thank's for the input. I myself know that I will always be this way. Spent ten years at least fooling myself to think other wise.

Was talking to my neice the other day. She is scared that she is going to turn out like her dad and myself.

So, that is what put that ? in my mind again.

thank's

tellus

If she does turn out to be an alcoholic, it sounds like she'll get great support and wisdom from her family.