For decades now scientists have been looking into whether or not addiction is genetic. The question of the connection between the two should be straightforward – either there’s a link or there isn’t. The reality is however that this isn’t a simple yes or no question.
The case for
- There are certain factors that make it easier for some people to fall victim to addictive behavior than others. For example, a particular drug may make one person feel really happy and another person really sick. The person who feels great while on the drug is obviously more likely to continue using it and develop a problem which would result in a need for addiction therapy.
- Some studies have found that 50-60% of addiction is due to genetic factors and 40-50% comes down to poor coping skills. It has also been found that if a parent has a drug or alcohol addiction, their child is eight times more likely to go on to develop an addiction themselves.
- Research shows that children with parents who abuse drugs or alcohol are more likely to to try these substances in the first place which puts them at higher risk of developing addictive behavior. There are several different reasons for this including the fact that children of addicts are more likely to have behavioral problems and they also have more opportunities to try these substances as they’re likely to be lying around the house.
The case against
- There is no concrete evidence to suggest that a person’s genetic makeup is enough to make someone become an addict on its own. Our environment makes up a large part of addiction risk. Say for example both you and your mom are alcoholics. It’s more likely that you developed the disease because you grew up around alcohol and copied your mother’s behaviors than because you were doomed to become an alcoholic as a result of your genes.
- Some scientists have found that there is actually an evolutionary advantage to developing an addiction which means that we all have the genetic predisposition for it. When an animal eats a certain food it likes for example, there is an advantage to associating pleasure with that food so the animal knows to look for it in future. This means that the potential for addiction is hardwired into our brains regardless of whether or not it runs in our family.
- Unfortunately, it’s common for people with mental health disorders to turn to substances or addictive behaviors as a coping mechanism. This puts them at a much higher risk of developing an addiction regardless or whether or not someone in their family has had one.
- Current research shows that approximately 50% of addiction tendencies are linked to our genes. Although this is a high percentage, it still leaves 50% which comes down to our environment and personal experiences. There are plenty of people who have become addicted to alcohol, drugs, sex, food, gambling, shopping, etc. even though there is no history of these activities in their family. We are just as likely to develop bad habits by falling into the wrong crowd or as a result of a traumatic experience we don’t know how to cope with. That being said, more often than not, you will find that someone in your family had some sort of addiction even if it is a different one than what you are struggling with.
If you think that you or someone you know could be struggling with an alcohol or drug problem and would like more information about addiction therapy, please feel free to contact us and we will be more than happy to help.
