PhaseTwo

Yes I agree genetics has a lot to do with becoming an alcoholic, I just don't think it has anything to do with staying sober.

PhaseTwo

Your genetics might make the cravings worse after you quit? I don't know

caboblanco

I like to see any evidence that genetics have anything to do with anything about alcoholism. please post it

foolsgold66

Let me google that for you

caboblanco

didn't see any

foolsgold66

You're a fast reader. Made it through 206,000 hits that fast, did you? We know you disagree, I have you down as a no.

Gottalife

When a professor of psychiatry,who has worked in this field all his professional life tells me the research shows alcoholism is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, roughly 50/50, I believe him.

When he further tells me that there is a group of hopeless chronic alcoholics for whom recovery, without some form of "conversion experience", is unlikely, I believe him.

When he tells me there is as yet no medical means of brining about this conversion experience, I believe him.

And further, he tells me there are still the vast majority of people with alcohol problems who can be helped with medical/psychological methods I believe him too.

From this I conclude that genetics don't have much of a role in recovery from alcoholism, but may have an influence in which method of recovery might work best for an individual.

EndGameNYC

I worked as clinical director for a time with COGA -- Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism -- around the turn of the century. It's a national, multi-center study that's been going on for years. The researchers identified a genetic predisposition to be at risk for alcoholism. Google it. As of today, I don't know that there's been a single study that has observed an association between people identified as at risk for alcoholism and their likelihood of getting and staying sober. This doesn't mean that there is no relationship.

This is not to say that every person who struggles with alcohol is born with a genetic predisposition for alcoholism. The current focus in scientific research, particularly research in psychology and psychiatry, is to look at all contributing factors to any particular syndrome -- biological, psychological and social.

The fact that I may be predisposed to heart disease doesn't guarantee that I'll suffer from it; nor does it predict how I will respond to treatment were I to be diagnosed as such.

SpartanGreen

My father and both of my biological grandfathers were out of control alcoholics. Boy am I mad at them for my inability to be a social drinker.

Do I think my genetics will prevent me from achieving and maintaining my sobriety? No, I think my own mental fortitude is the determining factor in that.

TrixMixer

Cabo,

It was a question for discussion. You do not have to agree, and you have made your position clear. Far be it from me to try or even want to change your mind.

Just looking at possibilities--wish I could be as certain as you seem to be.
I suppose you have some definitive information to back up your beliefs. End of story. Got it!

TrixMixer

feralfemale

While I do not think that it is impossible to recover on account of genetics, I do think that it can contribute to difficulties in recovery, mostly because many people with mental illness also suffer from addiction, and if those illnesses go untreated, or possibly the treatment seems to be taking "too long", the likelihood of relapse is more prevalent. I would say self-medication would be a big determinant in how difficult it is for someone to recover.

At the same time, I hope that even as I am genetically predisposed to mental illness, genetics do not determine whether or not I can recover. I hope it is the same for alcoholism. I think the biggest part is making sure to not keep getting in my own way...

TrixMixer

Hi feralfemale,

I agree with your assessment. However on a more personal note I too had a predisposition to depression. I drank to self medicate.

I quite some 25 years ago and did it on my first try, so don't let that get in your way. Although that is one of the reasons for my OP.

Keep the faith,
TrixMixer

robgt350

i dont believe genetics play a role in some one wanting make a decision to get sober, stay sober or retry sobriety.
wanting to be sober, and staying sober is a choice we all can make or remake. it is difficult to make, and was for me too.
but i think genetics plays a role in developing cancer, diabetes, multiple scholiosis just a few of many.
To me saying i cant get sober because of genetics is like saying i get dental cavities because of genetics despite i dont to brush my teeth every day.

nomis

I don't think anybody here has said that sobriety is impossible because of genetics. It just makes some more predisposed towards addiction. Much the same as any other illness, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, etc..

Threshold

Genetics affect how people's bodies process alcohol and other carbs, so I do think they influence the difficulty people experience in quitting. Also, the way genetics affect personalities plays in. And mental illness, etc etc.

I don't think this makes it impossible for anyone to quit, but I certainly think it can make a difference in the methods needed to quit.

I think the fact that there are so many recovery methods out there, therapies, medications, groups, etc attest to this.

I think it is correct that for anyone to be successful in quitting they have to REALLY want it, but I don't think it is correct to assume that people having a difficult time quitting or repeated relapses don't really want it. It takes different things for different people to quit.

karate

There is no thought in my mind genetics does not play a part in all mental actions .

I know several people , their fathers died of alcoholism ,and they are alocholics as well .

Its a pre -wired action -imo .

I don't have any scientific evidence to back this up , but have seen it too many times to think its a random event .

MrTumble

I think Cabo made a fair comment. He said "I like to see any evidence that genetics have anything to do with anything about alcoholism. please post it" - someone then said "google it" in the expectation he was going to trawl through a zillion web pages that may or may not contain some empirical evidence that there is indeed a link between alcoholism and our genes.

Personally, I believe there is some connection, but that's just my gut feeling with zero science to back it up.

However, it would be nice if gene therapy could provide a "cure".

ronf

Just something to chew on.
I was adopted, raised in a solid "normie" home. I was into my addiction by my early teens.
In the mid 90s I was able to meet all my biological family. The only people with out addiction problems where my birth mother, her mother, and 1 other half-sibling out of six. It turned out I had a full blood brother who I never knew existed, who had ALL the same addictions as myself.
That means my birth father, both his parents, grandfather on the mothers side, aunts, uncles, and 4 siblings where all drunks like me. Thank God I wasn't raised in that family!! LOL, I had enough troubles in a normie home.
Proof? No. Something to think of as a point of consideration? Yes.

To those who would think this nothing more than a wild-ass story, I have no way of proving any of it online.

Ron

foolsgold66

Look, there are literally hundreds of studies that show strong correlation. I posted a link that gives back many meaningful results, not a page full of spam.

I don't know what real evidence means, is that like proving bob killed pam in a homicide investigation? No, I can't prove it like that. I can't conclusively prove that a lifelong smoker got his cancer by smoking cigarettes either.

I can, however google cigarettes + cancer and also get back hundreds of studies showing a strong correlation.

Some folks may think the OP is trying to assert that genetics is destiny. That is not the case. Just because there are certain physical characteristics based upon genetic knowledge that are provable and as far as we know immutable, like certain eye color combinations, does not mean that all others are.

caboblanco

It's proven that cigarettes can cause cancer. There is no proof that alcoholism is genetic. As far as alcoholism goes I like to play my cards tight. no semi bluffing. why jump to conclusions? keep it simple