Addiction is due fifty percent to genetic predisposition and fifty percent to poor coping skills. This has been confirmed by numerous studies. One study looked at 861 identical twin pairs and 653 fraternal (non-identical) twin pairs. When one identical twin was addicted to alcohol, the other twin had a high probability of being addicted. But when one non-identical twin was addicted to alcohol, the other twin did not necessarily have an addiction. Based on the differences between the identical and non-identical twins, the study showed 50-60% of addiction is due to genetic factors (Prescott & Kendler, 1999).
The children of addicts are 8 times more likely to develop an addiction. One study looked at 231 people who were diagnosed with drug or
…show more content…
Once a person stop using and tell their family that they’re in recovery, that's often when they will tell the person about the family secrets. That's when family members will sometimes come out of the closet and tell them their stories.
Addiction is like most major diseases. Consider heart disease, the leading cause of death in the developed world. It's partly due to genes and partly due to poor life style choices such as bad diet, lack of exercise, and smoking. The same is true for other common diseases like adult-onset diabetes. Many forms of cancers are due to a combination of genes and life style. But if your doctor said that you had diabetes or heart disease, you wouldn't think you were bad person. You would think, "What can I do to overcome this disease?" That is how you should approach addiction.
You can become addicted to any drug, if you have a family history of addiction. If at least one of your family members is addicted to alcohol, you have a greater chance of developing an addiction to any other drug. Cross addiction occurs because all addictions work in the same part of the brain. If your brain is wired so that you're predisposed to one addiction, then you're predisposed to all
According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, genetics account for over fifty percent of addiction disorders. Elders having a past with drugs, the addict
Many people believe the misconception that an addiction is a moral problem and not a disease. To better understand the reasons why an additicition is in fact a disease; I will identify several types of addictions, and the problems associated with them. I will examine reasons why certain people are more susceptible for developing an addiction. Also, I will determine why many addicts deny their problems and many recovery methods addicts use to fight their illness. Researching these issues, will help aid my claim that addiction is a disease.
Addiction knows no prejudice; it does not care what race, religion, sex or orientation. You can be addicted to drugs, gambling, x-box, shopping and eating. Addiction is an illness that requires, for most, professional help and that once you are an addict you are always an addict.
To begin with, studies have found that inherited genes are responsible for a considerably large part of the probability that someone will become addicted to any kind of substance or behavior. Addiction is strongly influenced by genetic factors in the later stages of addiction, such as problem use and dependence of an addictive substance. Some genetic factors can make an individual more likely to become addicted to only one specific drug. On the other hand, some genes can make an individual more likely to become addicted in general. Some individuals might be genetically inclined to risk-taking behavior such as receiving large jolts of dopamine through what they consider to be the “excitement” of drug use. These individuals could be subject to keep returning to the illicit and harmful drugs that they find enjoyable despite what they know of the harmful effects. These genetic influences could make them more likely to become addicted to alcohol, cocaine, tobacco, gambling, or any number of substances or activities. Addiction has an inherited component and it
The nature-based view is that expression of addiction (phenotype) is based upon genetic predisposition (genotype). Numerous genetic studies on pedigree have been conducted over the years. The majority of the results of these studies indicate that monozygotic twins have higher concordance of addiction than dizygotic twins. More specifically, the more genes shared, the more
When an individual has a disorder with substance abuse and how family is involved, it can be a very uncomfortable situation for both the abuser and family members. When the abuser is an adolescent, the program may need consent from the adolescent before communicating with the parent, whether the communication is over the course of counseling or a one time communication (TIP 31). Both drugs and alcohol affects both sides because an addiction will create problems with communication. When one seeks help for his or her addiction, the entire family should be involved if
Genetic factors have been directly linked to the risk of an individual’s vulnerability to addiction (APA, 2008). In addition, other risk factors that play a
Genes and environment both prove to be important when determining who will be susceptible to becoming addicted to substances and who will not (Durand, Barlow, 2016, 388-389). Using drugs is based on environmental factors but becoming dependent on drugs will occur if a person is genetically vulnerable. There is no specific gene that can be held responsible for this phenomenon, but rather a group of genes that put one at risk for substance use disorder broadly. Susceptibility to addiction to one substance in particular does not occur. Psychological factors must also be considered when discussing what causes substance abuse disorder. Positive reinforcement (making one feel good) and negative reinforcement (making one feel less bad) are two primary reasons for continuing drug use.
First, before I could answer this question, I had to do a little research. Alcohol addiction is a physical dependence on alcohol which occurs gradually. Over time, drink too much alcohol changed the balance 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 avoid negative feelings. “Alcoholism was officially recognized as a disease by the American Medical Association in 1991”. ( http://www.learn-about-alcoholism.com/alcoholism-disease.html ).
Biology and genetics influence substance abuse and addiction. According to Prescott, Madden, and Stallings, (2006), a number of obstacles confront researchers considering genetic influences on substance-related behavior. Preliminary there is a significant discrepancy across civilizations and archival periods in the prevalence and classifications of substance use (i.e., cocaine, alcohol, tobacco, cocaine, or heroin). A person’s biology is a determination in the addiction of risk. For example, Prescott, Madden, and Stallings (2006) assert many studies indicate increased rates of alcoholism among adopted males; although he is not influenced by his own biological parents (p. 475; see Cadoret et al. 1985; see Cloninger et al. 1981). It has been suggested that twins (e.g., adults) are most likely to inherit smoking dependence. Various studies throughout countries study variables (e.g., age and gender) according to Prescott, Madden, and Stallings (2006).
In “Who Suffers from Addiction? Part 2: Children who become addicted” states that by the time an addicts’ child has finished high school, at least 70 percent of them will have been
Addictions can be passed through the genes. There is some truth to the debate of why one's heredity may make them predisposed to addictive behaviors pertaining to substance abuse. For example, consider a woman who is physically unable to stop abusing drugs and alcohol during her pregnancy. Her baby will most certainly be born with severe withdrawal
Many things can cause addiction, it could be sex, marijuana, gambling, or alcohol. Once an individual is addicted to a substance or activity, his or her health, relationship, and efficiency at work will dismantle. Addiction generates a compulsive craving, but also brings detrimental side effects. Addiction is a more common illness than individuals believe. In 2014, around twenty five millions Americans aged twelve or older, experienced substance abuse.
Drug addiction is a serious issue in not only America today, but globally. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, substance addiction is a “chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite the harmful consequences” (“What is drug addiction?”). Drug abuse affects not only the user, but those around the user as well. The actions of a drug user place a significant amount of worry on the people that are closest to them such as friends and family. Children with parents who are addicted to drugs or alcohol can be severely affected by the actions of their parents which can cause them much harm in terms of biological and
It is also possible that heroin addiction is similar to alcohol dependence, which has been found to be genetic. For example, children of alcoholics are said to be 4 times as likely to become alcoholics as opposed to people without family history of alcoholism. However, part of this amount of risk can be accounted for by environmental