Is Alcoholism a Case of Nature or Nurture?

 

photo representation of alcoholism

Alcoholism is a detrimental disorder that can tear families and friends apart. Many people might know someone who was an alcoholic, or they were an alcoholic themselves. I have a lot of personal experience with someone very important in my life being an alcoholic. Alcoholism is also known as Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), which is a disorder focused on the abuse of alcohol. Some of the signs and symptoms of AUD, according to the article "What is Alcoholism? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention," include experiencing withdrawal, drinking longer or more than you intended, thinking only of drinking, and giving up activities you once loved to drink.

According to the Healthline article “Is Alcoholism Genetic?” the author Hope Gillette states that about 29.5 million people in the United States suffer with AUD and more than 800,000 of those people are children aged 12 to 17. There are a lot of questions about whether alcoholism is a case of genetics or because of the environment you were brought up in. While both genetics and environmental factors can be an influence on AUD, it is important to understand which option the cause was to help determine the best treatment.

Is Alcoholism Genetic?

This is a big question that many people have. It is hard not to think that AUD could be genetic as a lot of families have histories of addiction in their family. Long story short there is a genetic factor to AUD. According to the article “Is Alcoholism Genetic?” genetics can play a role on how likely you are to develop AUD but there has not been one specific gene found that directly links to it. The author Gillette also states that when AUD runs in families, other members have a 3 to 4 times higher likelihood to develop alcoholism.

Now just because you have a family member that has AUD does not mean that you will develop AUD, it just means you are at a higher risk. There is also not just a genetic factor to developing AUD, the environment that you grow up in can have a big impact on if you develop AUD. According to the article "Genetics and Alcoholism: What's the Connection?", there are a couple other factors like regular exposure to alcohol, mental health conditions, trauma, homelessness, and being naturally impulsive.

statistics on mental health as a risk factor

Mental health conditions are one of the bigger risks for developing AUD. According to the article “Risk Factors: Varied Vulnerability to Alcohol-Related Harm”, it states that about 20%-40% of people being treated for anxiety have AUD and that about 40% of people who have gotten treated with major depressive disorder have had AUD.

It can also be seen that about 15%-30% of people diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder have AUD and it being even higher in veterans with PTSD, even reaching to 50%-60%. Not only can having these disorders increase your risk for developing AUD but can also be worsened with AUD.

Treatment Options

photo of a treatment center

It is important to care about these individuals even if we don’t know them well. There are many different treatment options that are offered to people who want help. Going to a treatment center to detox in a safe manor is a way. If people do not want to go to a treatment center, they can simply go to therapy to help figure out the root of the issue. The best option for someone that developed it from genetics, or they are really deep into their addiction they would need to go into a treatment center to help with the transitions. For someone who developed it because of their environment would be AA and therapy meetings. If the AA and therapy is not working the next option would be to go to an inpatient facility.

There are also two medications called Disulfiram and Naltrexone to help treat AUD. According to the Mayo Clinic, Disulfiram will cause you to have adverse reactions to drinking like headaches, nausea, and vomiting. The medication Naltrexone will block the good feelings from drinking which will hopefully lessen the want to drink. It is also important to make sure that they have a support system surrounding the person. This helps them not feel alone.

Why should we care?

Alcoholism is a very detrimental disease to not only the person who is suffering with it but also the people that surround them. Families have been torn apart because this person decided not to get help or doesn’t realize how bad it is. According to the study “The Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism: Overview” the authors state “Worldwide, about 5% of both deaths and burden of disease are attributed to alcohol consumption.” Now this may not seem like a lot to people but 5% of the world’s population is about 38.76 million people.

As someone who had a parent that was an alcoholic for their entire life it was very hard on my family. My dad was never there and when he was home all he did was sit drunk on the couch. My immediate family is not the only part of my family that has been affected by alcoholism and addiction. My great grandfather was an alcoholic for his entire life, my great uncle and uncle have also had issues with alcoholism and addiction. My family is a good example of AUD being genetic and environmental.

Many people might wonder why they should care about other people's decisions. People feel they did this to themselves that they made the decision to start drinking in the first place. While in ways this is true, they decided to start drinking, they didn't decide to become dependent on it. Addictions start as "I'll only try it once", then turns into them wanting to do it more. After that they don't realize they have become dependent on whatever substance until it is too late. 

This type of behavior affects families hard. Children of alcoholics are at a higher risk of developing not only AUD but also many different mental health issues. This is another reason why people should care, the people that surround them can develop problems themselves.

traits found in children of alcoholics

It is important to help your friends and family realize they might have an issue before it is too late. If they get to the point of AUD, it is important to be there for them and help them seek help to get better.

Overall, alcoholism has many different causes. Whether it be because it “runs” in your family, or you were exposed to it by your surroundings it is important to educate yourselves on the risks. If anyone you know seems like they might be struggling with AUD, you can call the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-4357.