Addiction is a complex disease that depends on many factors. Many people who suffer from the disease of addiction have a parent or relative who also does. Addiction does run in families and there is a genetic and biological component to the disease. However, biological predisposition does not mean one will inevitably become addicted. There are also social and psychological factors that come into play to cause someone to develop the disease of addiction. Genetic predisposition does not mean one will become addicted, but it does make them more vulnerable to addiction. According to the University of Utah’s Genetic Science Learning Center, “Because addiction is a complex disease, finding addiction genes can be a tricky process. Multiple genes and environmental factors can add up to make an individual susceptible, or they may cancel each other out. Not every addict will carry the same gene, and not everyone who carries an addiction gene will exhibit the trait. However, multiple lines of research show that addiction is influenced by genes.” There is no sing “addiction gene,” but there are a variety of genes, usually those underlying the reward pathway in the brain, that can cause someone to be of increased likelihood for addiction. The Mayo Clinic explains, “Drug addiction is more common in some families and likely involves genetic predisposition. If you have a blood relative, such as a parent or sibling, with alcohol or drug addiction, you’re at greater risk of developing a drug addiction.” However, other risk factors, such as mental health problems, peer pressure, lack of family involvement, early drug use, and the addictiveness of the drug being used, are also major influencing factors. In the case of a parent passing along the disease to children, there may be more that just the genetic component—the child may be exposed to drugs at a young age from the parent or have a lack of parental supervision that influences early drug use. Research into the role of genetics in regards to addiction offer promising possibilities when it comes to addiction treatment. The Genetic Science Learning Center explains, “Understanding the role of genetic variation in addiction genes can also help inform treatments. The effectiveness of medications vary from person to person, depending on their genetic make-up. In the future, genetic tests could be used to determine which medications are likely to be most effective based on an individual’s genetic profile.”
Addiction and alcoholism do not have to be a part of your story any longer. You can make the decision to seek help today and begin building a brighter future. Oceanfront Recovery, a treatment facility in beautiful Laguna Beach, utilized cutting-edge treatment techniques and methodologies to give you the best chance of achieving and maintaining lasting sobriety. For more information about individualized treatment options, please call today: (877) 279-1777
