h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

If your parents were alcoholics, as were theirs, is there any viable alternative but total abstinence?

I would like to say that you may be OK, but don't try it without someone who could knock you unconcious if you fall over the edge. But the sensible part of me says 'Run away'. I don't actually know the odds, but I have a feeling they stink.

I don't think there is such a thing as an alcoholism gene in the way you imply. There may be genetic predispositions, meaning that you are more likely to develop alcoholism. But other factors are also involved like environmental factors in earlier life, and choices someone makes as their life goes along.


Also alcoholism isn't one thing, it's a variety of addictions. And different people manage their addictions in different ways.

If someone is worried about genetic predisposition (or even environmental predisposition) then looking at behaviour is a still a useful thing to do. Is the person binge drinking? Self medicating with alcohol? Using other substances or behaviours (sex, work, food) in addictive ways? Is the person otherwise emotionally stable and intelligent or are they likely to not handle emotional/mental stress well?

If those things are happening then it's good to be careful how one uses alcohol (irrespective of genetics) and to look at other ways of looking after oneself.

Nods in agreement.

I think you're putting your nature to far above your nurture.

If you live in a different environment from your ancestors, there is no reason why you should automatically replicate their behaviour?

sprout

Both sets of my parents are alcoholics, and both my mums parents were alcoholics, as is most of that side of the family.

However, I don't think there's a specific gene that made them alcoholics, more something which made them susceptible to addictions in general - my mum is addicted to quite a few things, alcohol is just the most damaging of those addictions - and there was just the plain fact neither my parents nor grandparents led particularly happy lives.

This is just pure theorising, I have no prof whatsoever for this, but I suspect that the little voice that tells most people to stop doing something either isn't there or isn't strong enough, which accounts for the addictive behaviour. Pure speculation though.

There are alternatives to complete abstention, in fact my experience is that abstention is a pretty harmful course of action. I was abstaining because I was scared, I was scared because I felt I couldn't trust myself, which meant I couldn't be confident in myself which was pretty unfair on me.

My way of dealing is just to drink normally, as part of a healthy social life. Occasionally I drink too much, occasionally I binge drink, but so do the majority of people my age. I just watch what I'm drinking, how much, and most importantly why. I'll also occasionally stop for a time, just to prove that I can quite happily. After Halloween I didn't drink for a month, and that could have quite happily turned into a permanent thing, but on Friday I fancied a bottle of wine with my friends, so I had one.

Probably not what you were looking for Chris, but yeah, in my experience there are alternatives to abstention

Yes. Use insight into one's own personality and an awareness of the problem does to a person to set one's self boundaries that you are comfortable with and able to stick to.

Thanks all for your insights and input. I'm a long way from being in any real danger but it does concern me still.