Alcoholism: Genetic or a Learned Behavior

Alcoholism contractable or Learned Behavior? First, beforehand I could answer this question, I had to do a little research. Alcohol habituation is a physical dependence on inebriant which occurs gradually. Over time, drink as well as much alcohol changed the eternal rest of chemicals in your brain associated with the pleasure aspects of drinking alcohol. Excessive, long-term drinking can affect the balance of these chemicals, causing your body to crave alcohol to restore good feelings or to obviate negative feelings. Alcoholism was officially accept as a disease by the American Medical Association in 1991. ( http//www. earn-about- alcoholism. com/alcoholism-disease. html ). What causes alcoholism? Is alcoholism communicable from a p arent or is alcoholism a learned behavior? I chose this subject because I have a cousin who is 21 and already and alcoholic. consort to him, he has been drinking since he was 10, date it was only a gulp of beer when his soda waters back was t urned it was console a step towards his current condition. immediately I wonder, is he an alcoholic because he inherited this trait genetically from his pappa (whose dad was also an alcoholic), or is he an alcoholic because of the environment in which he was raised and influenced.According to NCADI (Fact is Alcoholism Runs in Family), reports picture that children of alcoholics are four times more than likely to grow up to be an alcoholic than any other children. Scientists concord that genetic anomalies were the primary causative divisor in at least many forms of alcoholism. (http//www. neurogenesis. com/Articles-Library/Foundational-Studies/The-Alcoholic-Gene. php ). Now scientists have to determine what these genes are and whether they are specific for alcohol or define something more general, such as differences in temperament or character that increase an individuals exposure to alcoholism.There was a work done in Sweden that followed alcohol use in twin who were adop ted as children and raised apart. The study showed that alcoholism was slightly higher among those who were uncovered to alcoholism only through adopted families. However, it was dramatically higher among the twins whose biologic fathers were alcoholics, regardless of the presence of alcoholism in their adoptive families. (http//alcoholism. about. com/cs/genetics/a/aa990517. htm) The studies also showed one twin doesnt always become an alcoholic average because