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Are you born a Alcoholic??

Old 06-04-2013, 05:42 PM
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Old 06-04-2013, 11:59 PM
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I'm 3 months sober. I have been doing a lot of soul searching and attend AA meetings often. Firstly I thought my problem at 47 had only been the last couple of years but in the last few weeks I have come to the realization that I have always had a dysfunctional relationship with alcohol. Are we born an alcoholic, don't know but I do know that when I took my first drink in my early teens I just wanted to get hammered. At times I gave it up but it still dominated my mind (at one point for 2 years sober) and all I could think about was drinking. So I just answered my own question I reckon we are born an alcoholic.
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Old 06-05-2013, 12:36 AM
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Old 06-05-2013, 05:20 AM
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Originally Posted by caboblanco View Post
Nobody is born an alcoholic as far as modern science knows. I don't know why people think there is a genetic predisposition to problem drinking. I have never seen any kind of proof for that. If people where born alcoholics we could give little kids a dna blood test to see if they were one then start them with alcohol awareness and counseling as soon as they could talk.
So you just think its a coincedence that in a family of 7 children, 5 of them are alcoholics? and their father was an alcoholic, and his siblings? Lol

Not trying to argue of course here but I have to agree with the others that I think it runs in families.

I think its a carrying thing, kind of like how people can carry the gene to have twins, and not have them but they can pass it on to their kids. Some get them and some dont...that makes sense in my case anyhow. :P
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Old 06-05-2013, 08:16 AM
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Originally Posted by FlyerFan View Post
So you just think its a coincedence that in a family of 7 children, 5 of them are alcoholics? and their father was an alcoholic, and his siblings? Lol

Not trying to argue of course here but I have to agree with the others that I think it runs in families.

I think its a carrying thing, kind of like how people can carry the gene to have twins, and not have them but they can pass it on to their kids. Some get them and some dont...that makes sense in my case anyhow. :P
So you think their is a gene/genes that predispose a person to alcoholism? Not addiction, just alcoholism. For me that's hard to believe especially because there is no evidence that there is a genetic predisposition even to just addiction.

There been many rock bands where everyone at some point became an alcoholic or addict. That clearly wasn't genetics. IMO environment plays the whole role here. Why do some alcoholics have other alcoholics in the immediate family? It's learned behavior. I'm not holding my breath for proof of a genetic link.
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Old 06-05-2013, 09:56 AM
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Originally Posted by caboblanco View Post
So you think their is a gene/genes that predispose a person to alcoholism? Not addiction, just alcoholism. For me that's hard to believe especially because there is no evidence that there is a genetic predisposition even to just addiction.

There been many rock bands where everyone at some point became an alcoholic or addict. That clearly wasn't genetics. IMO environment plays the whole role here. Why do some alcoholics have other alcoholics in the immediate family? It's learned behavior. I'm not holding my breath for proof of a genetic link.
No i didnt mean just alcoholism, addiction is a better word to use, thank you.

Environment has something to do with it as well but I can recall things from my very early childhood, behaviors of mine that were just completely inappropriate for any child and I had not yet been exposed to any of the alcoholics in my family. It was almost like I just had that personality from the get-go. I can't really explain it properly.

EDIT: I don't know for sure if there is a link but for me personally it would not surprise me. And if it turns out that there isn't one it doesnt really make a difference, we're still screwed up and need help. :rotfxko
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Old 06-05-2013, 12:14 PM
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I've read study results that support the idea that children of alcoholics are much more likely to become alcoholics, even if they are adopted into non-alcoholic homes. (I don't know the study name or researchers)

I think addiction begins with a genetic predisposition and environmental stressors (and exposure to the addictive substance/behavior). If someone has a high predisposition, then they might need less stress/trauma for the addiction to kick in. If someone has a low predisposition, they might need higher stress or exposure for the addiction to begin.

Both my parents drank way too much. One of my siblings and I both drank very little before realizing that there was a problem. That makes me think a genetic predisposition and past trauma/stress played a big part in me developing an addiction. I did not have to work at it.
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