Is it true that alcohol dependency is genetic?

he told me that there is a gene that will make someone more easily addicted to alcohol and become an alcoholic that is passed down by parents

Um thats strange I’m not to sure.

my mates mom and dad are heavy drinkers and he hates the stuff so no its not.

well has he drank much in his life or does he hate it because his parents drink so much

A lot of scientists say that stuff like this can happen. Sometimes this can happen just being around that lifestyle. Like kids livinng in an abusive family are more likely to become abusive themselves. I remember a news article claiming eating disorders are genetic too. I think that even if it is in your genes its up to you to decide if you want to slip to that. Life is a series of struggles, someotimes you just have to fight harder then others.

No it aint genetic it’s a choice, my dad was an alcoholic but he stopped after it ruined his life. The only thing closest to genes passing like that is that I’m not a lightweight which I guess I got from my dad, cos he definitely aint, nd I dont get drunk at all. So dont worry your fine. If you dont wana drink, dont drink it’s not a gene that makes you carve drinking or anything. Hope this helps. x

alright

never drank

then he wouldnt know if he has a dependency for it

He didn’t stop being an alcoholic. He stopped drinking. There’s a difference.

This is probably why you shouldn’t ask a question about genetics to the general public. Most people have absolutely no idea about DNA and genetics. There’s a TENDENCY to become an alcoholic that is genetic. Which means that under the right circumstance, in the right situation, a person could become an add.ict. It does not meant that it is passed down and so the person will become an add.ict. Just that there are tendencies and so a person could become an alcoholic. Obviously if they never have a drop to drink, they will never become an alcoholic. And even people who inherit the gene could potentially never become addicts. By implying that one’s parents are drinkers and the child is not therefore the gene doesn’t exist is beyond ignorant of how genetics works. First of all, just because one or both parents are alcoholics, does not mean the gene will be passed down. Even if the gene is passed down, it does not mean that the person will necessarily become an alcoholic. And one does not stop being an addict. One simply stops engaging in the behavior. An addict is always an addict, and the risk of relapse is always present. As for the choice. That’s like saying people choose to get cancer (which is also partially determined by genes). Mental illnesses are like any other illnesses. No one sits around deciding to become sick.

yes and i would know because our whole band had a lecture on it

well..i donno much about it but as far as i have heard it’s not genetic…