| Certainly the popular notion that alcoholism may be | | | | makeup alone does not automatically lead to |
| inherited from our parents has gained momentum in | | | | alcoholism, social environmental influences contribute to |
| recent times. This is not a new school of thought by | | | | the diseases presence. |
| any means, but it has gained creditability as a result of | | | | We typically learn our social skills from within our |
| detailed investigations that have been carried out in the | | | | families from birth. It is here that we learn right from |
| name of science these past decades. There is no | | | | wrong and acceptable social behavior. Social |
| question that typically a pattern emerges where a | | | | interactions within the family that are learned in early |
| tendency to alcoholism and alcohol related problems | | | | childhood can be imprinted in our minds as being the |
| do affect siblings and generations within a family. By | | | | model of proper social interactions. The same principle |
| no means does this conclusively indicate that | | | | applies to all other occasions and daily events. |
| alcoholism or alcohol related problems will plague you | | | | Certainly social conditioning is learned from all that we |
| because you inherited the gene from a parent. | | | | are exposed to, not just our immediate family. Indeed, |
| On the other hand, there are many genetically inherited | | | | visual repetitive learning is a valuable and effective |
| characteristics that have been proven to impact on | | | | teaching tool; unfortunately, it is not so selective as to |
| the likelihood of an individual becoming a statistic of | | | | be able to dismiss the negative influence also. |
| alcoholism related concerns. It is safley surmised that | | | | Environmental factors that often reflect a tendency |
| the genetic predisposition toward alcoholism may be a | | | | toward alcoholism do not fall squarely in the home of a |
| combination of social factors and genetic | | | | family. Life choices, actions and behaviors engaged in, |
| predisposition. As yet, there has not been a | | | | continue to be the responsibilty of the individual. If your |
| breakthrough in the discovery of a particular alcoholic | | | | mother was an alcoholic, and the family drank to |
| gene but there have been significant findings in the | | | | excess at home and socially, this does not absolve an |
| relationship between some inherited genes that are | | | | individual of responsibility from the choices they make |
| known to be present in a vast number of alcoholics | | | | for themselves. |
| studied. The gene found in those suffering from | | | | Science continues to explore the complexities of |
| depression is 5-HTT (the serotonin transporter gene), is | | | | alcoholism. Certainly medical communities are diligently |
| but one example of a commonly inherited gene shared | | | | pressing on with the hope that one day this disease |
| by a large number of alcoholics. The presence of this | | | | that destroys mankind from the inside out and |
| gene also does not doom a person to depression. Like | | | | devastates entire families and the loved ones of |
| alcoholism, social and environmental factors are very | | | | sufferers may one day be completely understood. We |
| evident in the reflection of the condition upon an | | | | understand that while genetics contributes to the |
| individual. | | | | disease of alcoholism, there are complex factors at |
| Another genetically inherited characteristic that has a | | | | work which include social environment; much is yet to |
| relationship to alcoholism is a variation in our liver | | | | be learned. Meanwhile, it is a blessing that support and |
| enzymes that controls the rate that our liver | | | | help is available for those who choose to avail |
| processes alcohol. Alcoholism is considered to be a | | | | themselves of it. |
| complex disease as is diabetes, meaning that genetic | | | | |