Do you believe that things like drug abuse, alcholism, etc. are truly genetic like some people say or learnt bad behaviors from parents?

[Anonymous]

I ask as this is an argument by many. It's genetic.

But I look at my cousin. He was adopted into my family. His biological mother was a heavy alcholic and his father a in and out of jail meth/crackhead. He met them when he was 20s. After one event of drinking far too much at 24 - as many young twenties do - he has never touched a drop of alcohol since. He's 43.

I admit that there may be a genetic issue resulting in a poorer ability to cope with situations or life which might be a mental health issue.

The reason why I say this my mother had an issue with drinking - poor ability to cope. Her mother - again poor ability to cope. Her grandmother - never touched a drop of alcohol & was phenomenal with her ability to cope with awkward, difficult, or hard situations.

Genetic Issue - Even if you've a good life - You are born an addict or an alcoholic.

Genetic Issues - Poorer ability to cope with situations = drug abuse / alcoholism

Learnt Bad Behaviors - Kids grow up thinking it's "good" or "normal" behavior

Updates

1 y

This has been an interesting question and while I agree genetics MAY play a role - and by this I am talking more of depression, bipolarism genetics - I think it's 85-90% learnt behaviors.

From seeing parents drink or use drugs to how they react to situations. If someone's parent reacts poorly to a situation & then gets smashed (drunk) children are going to think this is normal behavior.

[WindAtMyBack]

B or C

There may be a genetic side to it, but it's mostly environment and personal choices. If you have something genetic that causes problems in life, drug use is certainly more likely. But it always boils down to personal choice and self discipline. Just like breaking addictions once they start boils down to choice and discipline.

If a mother drinks or does drugs during pregnancy, that can cause serious problems from birth. But I don't call that genetic. I would call that environment that happened before they were born. It's basically the same thing as giving a one month old baby drugs that damages them. However this is not the case with the large majority of alcoholics and drug addicts.

There is a strong correlation between certain mental illnesses and drug/alcohol/smoking. Mental illnesses can have a genetic factor, but this gets into a chicken or egg question.

I've been around very large numbers of drug users, heavy drinkers, smokers, etc. No matter what the person's genetics or environment, a person's actions are ALWAYS personal choice.

[Sunssong]

I agree except with the "breaking addictions once they start boils down to choice and discipline."

[kingofthellamas]

Hang overs are a good way to stop people drinking heavy too often. While it's possible to be an alcoholic who suffers from hangovers, some alcoholics do not get hangovers. At first, not getting a hangover may seem like a genetic given blessing, but the reality is it is not. It just means you can drink and never know the damage you are doing.

A person's relationships with drugs is connected to the behaviour of the parents. Children of smokers are more likely to grow up to be smokers and so on. So drugs are learnt behaviour.

So, while alcoholics are not born, you can be born with a higher risk of being one.

[UCrayCray]

Nature or nurture?
I say both. I can say that I have seen it in all different ways. My parents both had alcoholic parents, yet neither drink. One of my dad’s brothers spent his life addicted to drugs and alcohol.
I have known drug addicts with straight laced parents as well.
I think you are correct when you say an inability to cope with life is a contributing factor. So is an addictive personality. These people will find something to be addicted to. Drugs, alcohol, sex, adrenaline.
Addiction has so many levels, I don’t think we can say it’s the result of one thing over another. It’s a set of circumstances mixed with the uniqueness of the person in question.

[smashleyy]

i think majority of it is learned behaviour. addictions are an attempt to soothe a dysregulated nervous system. If you watched the adults around you as a child not regulate their emotions in a healthy manner and instead turned to substances to “self soothe” it’s going to have an impact on you subconsciously. Just like a child raised in a household filled with chaos and unpredictability can become an adult addicted to their internal stress response, adrenaline and cortisol spikes can feel like excitement and connection and without them they feel bored or nothing.

[melanieeeB]

Nothing with genetics in my eyes

[Anemone978]

I honestly think it is just learnt behavior and not knowing how to cope with stuff.. My mom's adoptive mother was an alcoholic, but had gave it up by the time any of us kids were born. My mother grew up in a dysfunctional home... my mom then was an alcoholic too and I grew up in a dysfunctional home.. but I was smart, I hated how my parents behaved and I thought they were dumb as fuck and never was gonna raise my children like how they raised me. Yes I drank a few times growing up and one time almost died of alcohol poisoning but after that I stopped and never felt the urge to go back to it...

[mstbooblover]

To be more precise let's keep in mind that alcoholism and drug abuse can't be genetic particularities. On the other hand the tendency to get addicted is most probably genetic, and that can be to anything imaginable, the choice depending on other genetic factors, circumstances, education, bad or so-called good friends, etc. Such a addiction tendency can of course be enhanced by the particular drug the patient got in contact with. Alcohol does not immediately create a dependency, while some hard drugs do nearly after the first shot... Anyway, in case of doubt about yourself: DON'T !

[TheSpaceGnome]

It's the middle option, but because the middle option is caused by the top option, its also the top option.

No amount of hardship, pain, or suffering has ever made me want drugs.
Yet some people crave it harder than children craving candy, even when they live in luxury. And others crave it just as much, but only when stressed.

I don't think it's ever a learned behavior. Everyone knows about drugs at some point in their lives, and even us sober minded people have had druggies around us offering, yet we refused because of our genetics.

[TheSpaceGnome]

I feel like people are really overthinking this.

If you make a choice, any choice at all, or you crave something, or cave to something, or hate something, thats your genetics forcing all of that on you. Or more accurately, you ARE your genetics.

Too often people confuse individual genetic makeup triggers with genetic inheritance. Not everything genetic is passed on to your offspring, but everything about you is genetic.

[Ygritte_snow]

I believe it’s both. You can have genetic predispositions to falling into either an abuse problem or a mental health issue but never develop it because you’re in a healthy environment. And you can be in an unhealthy environment and develop such a disorder without being genetically predisposed to it. From my experience it is more likely to happen when both factors are reunited.

[Potteplante]

It is not one or the other but both.

You can be more prone to addictive behaviour due to genetics but it doesn't need to be the reason for your addiction. Here environmental factors come into play. Just like someone who's more prone to addictive behaviour - never becomes an addict.

Also I'm very confused, are you arguing it is genetics or environmental because you're all over the place?

[Tenebrae_mentis]

Genetics make you predisposed to become addicted if you use addictive substances, but genetics don't make those substances appear in your hand. Seeking them out in the first place is a bad behavior that may be learned from a household or culture that's worsened by genetic predisposition.

[Aerissa_Jade]

It a little of both, it is learned but at the same time those with genetic issues, can become addicted easy where those without can drink often and never become addict and stop any time they want.

You not born an addict, just far easier to become one.

Learned behaviors when someone is in that situation is a bad combination for them.

[Chazmatazz269]

There are indications of genetic components, but it hasn’t been proven by any reasonable standard. The effectiveness of treatment has been strengthened by that understanding. That’s the main reason we accept it as true.
Any argument to the contrary is merely academic. No expert in the field has improved treatments by challenging the understanding of genetic factors. If you’re not making the point to improve the effectiveness of treatments, then what in the hell are you doing?

[RavVid]

What I have seen is the children either embrace or reject their parents choice fairly emphatically. About 50-50 but the society they are is probably a bigger factor. Peer pressure etc.

I do think their can be a genetic reason. Heroin fits in well with our biology and probably fits in with some peoples better than others.

Overall I think it is coping ability that is more a driver - drugs help people cope. And stress level can be such they need them.

[WhitneySnow]

I think it’s a mix of both. You may be genetically predisposed to drug abuse or alcoholism, but your environment has a lot to do with it. Also, it sounds like your cousin had a bad experience with alcohol and promised himself he’d never do that again.

[Sunssong]

1st: Any addiction is learned
2nd: You may get addicted more easily than the average and perhaps that is genetic but you can choose to think for yourself and never once indulge in weed, drinking, drugs, vaping, porn,

[Adam1978]

It's an attitude problem with the right mindset, you simply don't fall into those pits, it's a victimhood kind of behavior. I don't know if strong will is a part of genes or if it's a learned pattern, it's probably a mix of both.

[lightbulb27]

I'd tie it to environment, opportunity, and difficulty dealing with emotional difficulty.

There may be predisposed tendancies since we do pass on "genetics". We also know bacteria contributes to life... and may influence.

[D_Bone_Steak]

I went with learned behavior.

I look at myself for instance that was straight edge until I joined the military... and that's where I learned to drink like a fish.

[SnowedIn]

Both. You can have something genetic but not make the choices to begin the behaviors. Alcohol is one example. Some of the others are just bad behavior.

[Anonymous]

Both. In the same way people can have anger management issues due to chemical imbalances in their brain, some people can be more inclined towards drug abuse than others due to how their brain works and reacts to those drugs.

It can be hard for some people, some definitely have it harder than others. But I'm of the understanding nearly everyone still has the ability to quit. I think in nearly all scenarios "my genetics" is not a valid reason to maintain drug abuse.

[FreyaRed]

Some people have weaknesses others don't have. It's partially genetic predisposition in some minimal extent but major part is learned behavior.

[sheikalana]

I can only speak for myself in this topic. My dad smokes like crazy and I can’t stand the smell of cigarettes he also drinks every day and I’m not a big drinker.

[AngryCarl2]

My parents never drank, so I never learned it from them. Obviously you can't be addicted to a substance you don't have access to so the addict from birth theory is out too.

That really only leaves the second option.