Psychiatrist Questions Psychiatrist

Is alcohol addiction a genetic condition?

I am a 28 year old male. Both my uncle and grandpa had alcoholism. Is alcohol addiction a genetic condition?

1 Answer

The RISK for alcoholism is in large part genetic. You can tell if you inherited the risk by how you feel after 1-2 drinks. The normal response is, "Yeah, OK, I'm a little more relaxed, but I don't see what all the fuss is about." Having more than 2-3 drinks makes you feel ill.

By contrast, those who've inherited the risk feel TERRIFIC and EUPHORIC and HAPPY after 1-2 drinks. The more they drink, the better they feel. Their tolerance for alcohol is much higher than others.

The likelihood of inheriting the risk is 25% if one parent or sibling is alcoholic. Your uncle and grandfather were affected, so I would guess your chance of inheriting the risk is lower. But if you use the test in the previous paragraph, it's easy to find out. Note that childhood abuse or extreme isolation or stress can also bring out alcoholic addiction in those who didn't inherit the risk genetically, but this is less common. If you believe you've inherited the risk, the trick is to mostly avoid alcohol, and when you do drink limit the quantity to 1 drink. If you find yourself drinking more, it's time to get help.