jojoreese

My paternal grandfather was an alcoholic. My paternal grandmother was clean as a whistle. My mother was adopted, so I have no idea what's coming from her side. My parents did/do not drink. Do you guys think there is a gene for this. If so, I wonder why it skipped my dad's generation and hit all of us grandkids. I'm trying to understand why I seem more predisposed to addiction - ultimately it is my own lack of self-control that has gotten me to this point, so I'm not blaming heredity...Just wondering...

Dee74

Hi jojo

You'll find people who'll tell you from their own experience there is absolutely a genetic determinant, and others who declare equally as forcefully their story shows there's not.

The good news is all of those people can still get sober and stay that way

D

LadyinBC

I come from a family of alcoholics. My grandfather was one, uncles, my dad, my mom, even my stepdad.

I think it can be both genetic and how you are raised. If you are raised in that atmosphere you have a good chance of continuring the cycle.

Eleni58

The only alcoholics in my family are me and my mom. No one else on my mom's side or dad's side were alcoholics. None of my adult children are alcoholics. So who knows?

bitmap

Neither of my parents or grandparents were alcoholics. I think one great granddad was. However I have cousins who are on both sides of the family. I know I have the genes on both sides but not specifically which relatives. I think we can be predisposed but we always have a choice in what we do.