Inheriting Addiction

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Are you particularly drawn to certain activity or substance and seeking out situations where the substance or activity is present? Does your serious attempt to give up something was unsuccessful? Are you unable to focus on one thing and are moody all the time and small things seem to irritate you? Are you avoiding your social life to fulfill your craving? Are you taking risks of breaking laws or spending too much on something above your budget? Then you might be in denial of being an addict. In the early stages, a person might not show telltale signs of a full-blown addiction. When it comes to common behaviors like drinking or smoking, it may be that a person is simply using a substance socially or casually. Therefore, it can be difficult to determine whether or not the behavior is unhealthy or how long it might last. But it doesn’t take long for your habit to turn into an addiction. A habit can be stopped, it is done by choice but addiction is a disease that's characterized by a loss of control. It is a dependency which often leads to tolerance. It causes chemical changes that hijack your brain. When it comes to addictions to drugs, alcohol, or food, we often think that those who have the addiction bring it on themselves because in the end addiction is a behavior and all behaviors are choices. One cannot blame fast-food restaurants for the foods that they sell based on the marketing, because the person got addicted to hamburgers and french fries. Yet this might not be the case. The causes of addiction vary considerably, and are not often fully understood. They are generally caused by a combination of physical, mental, circumstantial and emotional factors. But a big factor is a genetic disorder. Addiction definitely has a hereditary component. Parents who are predisposed to a certain addiction will have children predisposed to that addiction. If one parent is an alcoholic, the child’s chances of developing alcoholism increase four-fold. You might have seen children of alcoholics having a high tolerance for alcohol even before they have developed a history of heavy drinking. They don’t get drunk quickly and can drink their friends under the table. Research has shown that even in twins separated at birth, if one twin has an addiction, there's a greater likelihood that the other twin will as well. However, just because a child is genetically predisposed to an addiction doesn’t necessarily mean that he will eventually become an addict. What it does mean is that his chances of becoming addicted to the associated substance or behavior upon exposure are that much greater. But your genes are not your destiny. The 50% of addiction that is caused by poor coping skills is where you can make a difference. Lots of people have come from addicted families but managed to overcome their family history and live happy lives. You can use this opportunity to change your life and set an example for the next generation. People who don't know about addiction will tell you that you just need to be stronger to control your use. But if that was true then only unsuccessful people or unmotivated people would have an addiction, and yet 10% of high-functioning executives have an addiction. So one should never see addiction as a weakness, if you think of that then you'll be painting yourself into a corner that you can't get out of. You should focus on being stronger and trying to control your use, instead of treating addiction like a disease and focusing on stopping your use. Family can be a big support if one accepts that he or she needs help. Most people don't know their family history of addiction very well. Addiction is not the sort of thing that most families talk about. Not too long ago you could have a raging alcoholic in your family and nobody would talk about it. Or they would make some quaint remark like, "Oh he drinks a little too much." There was so little people could do about addiction before that there was no point in talking about it. But now that you can do something about addiction, a family history is worth talking about. Once you stop using and tell your family that you're in recovery, that's often when they will tell you about the family secrets. That's when family members will sometimes come out of the closet and tell you their stories. Parents who are more open, show the right example and teach their kids to deal with their feelings are more likely to have healthy kids. It is better for a parent to intervene with a child sooner rather than later. In other words, a parent needs to be on the lookout for certain behaviors, such as grade changes, discontinuing sports, changes in friends, or hidden drugs or alcohol. This might help in putting obstacles sooner on the way leading to obsession. Within the home, a family can practice moderation versus overdoing it with things such as food, homework, and scheduling extracurricular activities. A child who has structure can be taught guidelines and balance, this helps in stopping an activity turning into an addiction. Parents need to avoid setting a bad example, such as by using prescription medication whenever they feel down or want to lose weight. When parents self-medicate with drugs and alcohol, the kids learn to do the same. Let your coping skills be the legacy you pass on to your children. Don't let your genes be the only legacy you pass on to your children. Your children are more likely to have an addiction because of your addiction. But their genes don't have to be their destiny. You can help your children lead happy lives by teaching them healthy coping skills – by being an example with your recovery. So start talking about the subject early and often.