Mental illness is also common in people with alcohol use disorder because they use alcohol to cope. If your family has a history of mental health issues, then those genes further increase your risk for alcoholism. Millions of people have had to help loved ones struggling with alcohol addiction get the help that they need.

• Excessive heat warnings are out in many areas, including the Phoenix area where …
• The goal of the research was to better understand how genes may contribute to alcohol problems as a way to develop improved and more personalized treatments.
• Second, if an identical twin has a sister or brother who has an alcohol use disorder, the odds are not that they will also develop one.
• The alcoholic parent is constantly drinking and may have a lax attitude about substance use in general.

Laws prohibit use below a certain age, which helps prevent young people from drinking. However, friends and peers who drink can provide both the opportunity and pressure to use alcohol. Social and cultural norms regarding drinking and alcohol availability can also play a part. A family’s stance on alcohol use can influence a person’s use as well. For many, alcoholism begins as a method or technique of regulating stress in life. However, alcohol can turn into an unhealthy coping mechanism for stress or poor mental health, one that can lead to the development of risky conditions such as addiction.

Factors That Influence and Contribute to Alcohol Addiction

Co-occurring substance abuse and mental health issues are extremely common –  roughly 50 percent of people with severe mental disorders are affected by substance abuse. Self-medication for mental health problems is common and can lead to addiction. It makes the inevitability of familial alcoholism seem guaranteed when studies have shown a wide range of outcomes, including some individuals who never develop any symptoms or risks at all. Similarly, while there is a genetic component to alcohol tolerance, there have been largely inconclusive results about an alcohol dependence gene being hereditary. As we have learned more about the role genes play in our health, researchers have discovered that different factors can alter the expression of our genes.

If you have someone in your family who is struggling, you may wonder if you’ll develop alcoholism as well. So while there may never be a magic bullet to cure alcoholism, Dr. Karpyak says genetic research is making it easier for health care providers to give the most effective treatment possible to each patient. Moreover, the environment influences how genes are expressed, and learned behaviors can alter how a person perceives alcohol or drug use. Science suggests that genetics are roughly half of the underlying reason for AUD. “These genes are for risk, not for destiny,” stressed Dr. Enoch Gordis, director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Why Do Genetics Influence the Likelihood of Alcoholism?

Can children inherit genetic materials from their parents that increase their vulnerability to alcohol? There are gene variations that could predispose a person to mental illnesses like depression and schizophrenia. People with mental illness are more prone to turn to alcohol as a coping mechanism.

Alcoholism, in particular, can be dangerous when trying to go through the detox phase on your own. The decision to get treatment is on the person dealing with addiction, but you can encourage your loved one to seek help by talking to them about their options. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) helpline can help you in the worst-case scenarios, whether the problem is heredity or environmental and is life-threatening.

Getting Help for Alcoholism

The genome study brought to light that inclination and vulnerability towards drugs and other substance abuse are influenced by strong genetic factors. According to the CDC, children of alcoholics are at a higher risk of developing alcoholism. In such a time, a family history of alcohol addiction may be the reason behind their tendency to drink. People with a family history of alcoholism have the highest risk of struggling with alcohol use. However, environmental and social factors can increase or reduce this genetic risk. In addition to affecting alcohol addiction risks, these genetic factors may lead to increased alcohol consumption and heighten the risk of alcohol-related diseases, including certain cancers.

Each individual risk factor added to a childhood household (including lack of parental supervision, unchecked aggressive behavior, and availability of alcohol) can contribute to an increase in the likelihood of substance abuse. When the person drinks alcohol, for example, they may feel relaxed and happy compared to the stress they feel when they are sober. This reinforces the desire to use alcohol as a coping mechanism for 5 Tips to Consider When Choosing a Sober Living House stress. Those who have mental illnesses, especially anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia are very likely to struggle with co-occurring alcohol use disorder. Women are at risk of developing AUD faster than men due to differences in body mass, hormones, and metabolism. Some people possess a gene that can increase feelings of discomfort or sickness when consuming alcohol, which typically leads to less use.

Genetic diseases, on the other hand, are illnesses that are caused by mutations in the person’s DNA. There is a distinct link between substance abuse problems and mental health issues such as anxiety, bipolar disorder,  and depression. Many of them have open meetings for family members of people with substance use disorders. Sharing your experiences and listening to theirs could help you avoid alcohol abuse. Peer pressure and drug accessibility are other environmental factors that can influence your decisions. Social and cultural forces, poverty, and a history of physical or sexual abuse also affect you.

Peer pressure to drink alcohol is one of the top predictors of underage drinking. Combine peer pressure with other adverse childhood experiences and you’re primed for a substance use disorder. Large-scale biobanks, such as the MVP, offer the potential to link genes to health-related traits documented in electronic health records with greater statistical power than can ordinarily be achieved in genome-wide studies. Alcohol use at an early age – people who consume alcohol in their youth are more likely to develop an AUD, and those who avoid alcohol until the legal drinking age are less apt to experience alcoholism.