Children of Alcoholics – Is Alcoholism Inherited?

I got this post around the internet, and i thought i could share it with you guys since i personally learnt alot from it..

Last month, April is National Alcohol Awareness Month—an opportunity to increase public awareness of alcohol abuse and understanding aimed at reducing the stigma that too often prevents individuals and families from seeking help. In today’s blog we hear from David Sack, MD, board certified psychiatrist, addiction physiatrist and addiction medicine, who is the CEO of Promises Treatment Center, a CARF-accredited, dual diagnosis addiction treatment center, in Malibu, Calif.

According to Dr. Sack, “Alcoholism is a chronic, progressive disease that changes the structure and function of the brain, flooding the reward system in the brain with a dopamine (neurotransmitter), that regulates pleasure, teaching people to continue drinking to feel good. Doing this over time can result in physical changes such as a person’s judgment, learning and memory, as well as their ability to stop drinking,” notes Dr. Sack. The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) claims that 17.6 million people in the United States suffer from alcohol abuse or dependence. So, what are the effects on children of alcoholics?

Alcohol and Offspring
According to Dr. Sack, children of alcoholics are up to four times more likely to struggle with alcoholism and drug abuse than other kids. Dr. Sacks notes, “They also exhibit more symptoms of depression, anxiety and other emotional and behavioral disorders.” Also, an estimated 50% of children whose parent or parents are alcoholics go on to marry an alcoholic when they are adults.
According to Dr. Sack, genetics account for roughly half of a person’s risk for alcoholism. “This is, at least in part, why people with a family history of addiction are at increased risk for drug or alcohol problems themselves,” notes Dr. Sack.

Dr. Sack stresses that biology is not destiny: “Environment, upbringing and other factors make up the other half of the risk of developing addiction and are, at least to some extent, within our control.” The only sure-fire way to avoid addiction is to abstain from drugs and alcohol.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that excess alcohol consumption can have both short and long term effects on an individual.
Short-term Health Risks of Alcohol

• Unintentional injuries
• Violence, including intimate partner violence and child maltreatment
• Risky sexual behaviors, including unprotected sex and increased risk of sexual assault
• Miscarriage and stillbirth among pregnant women
• Alcohol poisoning

Long-Term Health Risks of Alcohol

• Dementia
• Cardiovascular problems
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Suicide
• Cancer (mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, colon and breast)
• Liver disease

How to Help An Addict
“If someone you care about is suffering from alcoholism, chances are the problem isn’t going to solve itself,” notes Dr. Sack. Dr. Sack encourages friends and family to take action:

• Have a frank conversation with them about the consequences of their drinking (health problems, DUI, lost job, spouse leaving, parenting issues).
• Point out the connection between these negative consequences and their drinking.
• Have a plan in mind- complete with a local treatment option

Dr. Sack notes that you may have to have this conversation more than once. “Look for opportunities, especially after a specific consequence occurs due to their alcohol use, to get them talking again.”
If you or someone you know is searching for a substance abuse clinic near you, be sure to use iTriage to locate a facility. Download the app, or visit us online at www.iTriageHealth.com.