If you grew up in a family of alcoholics, you may have vowed to yourself that once you escaped, you’d never make the same mistakes as your parents. You may even have promised to never put your kids through what you experienced as a child. Maybe you even attended a detox or rehabilitation program, and thought your problem was fixed without additional follow up treatment.
Is Alcoholism Generational? – The Truth Revealed
The truth is that alcoholism is an illness that runs in families, and you may not be able to keep it from affecting your life. In order to avoid its life threatening force, it is crucial that you’re aware of alcoholism’s presence, while taking the daily steps to combat it. Here’s the answers to the question – Is alcoholism generational?
- Genetics – Many studies show that genetics plays a prevalent role in who becomes an alcoholic. In fact, if one or both of your parents was an alcoholic, you are about four times as likely to struggle with alcoholism yourself. Children of alcoholics are also at a higher risk for emotional and behavioral difficulties.
- The effect of learned behavior – Though genetics are indeed important, over one half of all children of alcoholics do not actually become alcoholics themselves. This means there is more to alcoholism than the eye can see; learned behavior also plays a part. For example, you are more at risk for developing alcoholism if:
- Your parents’ struggles with alcohol were extreme
- Your alcoholic parents also had psychological illnesses (such as depression)
- Both of your parents were alcoholics, or had drug abuse issues
- There was a great deal of conflict, aggression, and/or violence at home
If alcoholism runs in the family, there is still hope! Just because alcoholism may be passed down doesn’t mean that you should despair or let the disease control your life. Once you are knowingly aware of alcohol’s destructive influence, you can take action to prevent old patterns from repeating themselves. Learn more about how to do this at an executive detox facility.
Alcohol Addiction Treatment in Orange County
At Asana Recovery, we understand how difficult recovering from these addictions through our daily work to help those struggling most from this disease. While some may believe they can make it alone, rehabilitation programs are essential in the fight to break dependency. The road ahead is not a smooth or easy one, but you can traverse it if done so with the support of the right team. Counseling and aftercare processes can assist you by addressing the psychological facets that led you to addition and help you build a structure from which to better cope with life without succumbing to addiction.
The supervised detoxification and residential treatment programs at Asana Recovery are offered in a supportive, relaxing, and inspiring environment. We’re deeply committed to ensuring your long-term recovery, and guiding you on your path to a healthier and happier future. There is no better time than now, and we’re always available to speak with you. Call us at (949) 438-4504 to learn more about our comprehensive drug and alcohol addiction treatment program today.
