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The genetic aspects of alcoholism are significant.
I remember reading a paper that discussed neurology of the brain in people who are born with the genetic tendency to alcoholism. The premise was that it causes the body to process alcohol differently than it does for non-alcoholics.
At any rate the brain's neurology does change with consistent alcohol use as well.
Drinking to relieve anxiety seems to have a boomerang effect on alcoholics as well so that the anxiety actually worsens during the non-using time. In that way treating it with a drug or alcohol over the long term will increase the condition. In fact I've heard many alcoholics say that whatever the reason they were drinking it works for a while and then actually worsens as the alcoholism progresses.
I didn't know the DSM had changed the definition. But of course. It needs to be changed as society changes or we'd all have a label.
When enough psychiatrists on the board are alcoholic it will no longer be a disease. It's time to talk to the Association about denial? LOL
I didn't know the DSM had changed the definition. But of course. It needs to be changed as society changes or we'd all have a label.
When enough psychiatrists on the board are alcoholic it will no longer be a disease. It's time to talk to the Association about denial? LOL
Alcoholism is labeled a disease by AA, probably because it makes it easier for the alcoholic to obtain recovery (e.g. one of the steps being to admit that one has no power over alcohol). Many, of course, disagree with the disease model. The DSM is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, and there is no labeling of addiction or disease in the manual.
Alcoholism is labeled a disease by AA, probably because it makes it easier for the alcoholic to obtain recovery (e.g. one of the steps being to admit that one has no power over alcohol). Many, of course, disagree with the disease model. The DSM is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, and there is no labeling of addiction or disease in the manual.
The disease concept of alcoholism was adapted by the American Medical Association in 1956. Psychiatry followed suit in 1960 with Elvin Jellineks's publication of "The Disease Concept of Alcoholism."
Our latest theory that alcoholism is a brain disease has served us well for decades since the study of neurology has improved.
You are aware that many consider the conditions in the DSM to be related to social and political issues, right? So we see changes periodically in the manual based on public opinion, social engineering and, of course, science sometimes too.
My mom died last month of acute pancreatitis caused by high alcohol consumption. Based on receipts found in her home we determined she had something like a 100 servings of vodka (or 3 1.75ml bottles) the week before she was admitted into the hospital.
She kept her issues to herself, but we know from looking at her computer's browsing history that she was aware she had a problem and was trying to self-treat it, especially the few days before she got sick (likely coinciding with the beginning of her pancreatitis symptoms).
We have discovered a lot about mom through her computer and going through her home. My sister and I are both deeply disturbed by how degraded her mental state was.. not just the last months or year, but for many, many years.. pretty much extending all the way to when my parents divorced 17 years ago. She made some really dumb financial decisions and she had lied to me about it. She gave the image that she was on top of it, but really she wasn't. She was insecure.. so insecure that she was immobilized. She didn't do a good job of "adulting".
I don't know much about alcoholism because it's not something that was near my area of the family tree. And that everything happened so quickly it's not like I'm currently living with an alcoholic family member. I don't know if she was really mentally ill or if it was simply alcoholism. I'm not sure that it matters all that much other than I deal a lot with anxiety and I suppose I'm curious if this is something she actually experienced too.
What have you seen in you alcoholic family members?
In my experience (several friends and family) anxiety is the common denominator with alcoholics. It’s a vicious circle....anxiety pushes someone towards alcohol use, and excess alcohol use creates worse anxiety.
Sometimes people just have addictive personalities. but a lot of times there are underlying issues.
My father was an alcoholic luckily he stopped.. he was arrested and went to jail for 2 years at 17 for something pretty minor where the kids he was with got off. he then past his series 7 but lost jobs he got from it because he was a felon. I never asked him if his alcoholism was related to that but I’m sure it was.
My friend who’s an alcoholic was molested as a child by her uncle and grandfather masturbated in front of her.. she suffers from anxiety and possible other mental illnesses because of her childhood which I’m sure is a large part of her alcoholism.
(1) that there even is such a thing as addictive "personalities". FALSE- Not even in any medical journals does such exist
No one said anything about "addictive personalities." There are genetic predispositions to many medical disorders.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nov3
(2) that its ALL genetically established - FALSE. A disease can be transferred or acquired separately and without "genetic" .carrier
Again, nothing was ever said about any disorder, much less alcoholism, being "ALL genetically established."
(Someone who never drinks could carry the genetic predisposition to alcoholism, but obviously never develop alcohol dependence or alcohol abuse.)
Yes. But a person cannot become an alcoholic without the genetic predisposition to addiction.
Let's help you out here.
A person can become alcoholic without the obvious genetic predisposition to addiction. I think this statement is what your responders are reacting to.
But. With the genetic inclination a person is four times more likely to become alcoholic if they drink.
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