Ever wonder how your parent’s alcoholism might affect your own future? Do you worry you could develop a substance use disorder? Are you scared you’ll fall into the same harmful and destructive patterns that your alcoholic parent did?
I’m here to set the record straight that while genetics have a major role, breaking the cycle of addiction in your family can begin with you. Let’s take a big, old deep breathe on this one.
Although these are difficult questions to consider, understanding your own risk of becoming an alcoholic is important for helping you live a happy, healthy, and fulfilling life. So what are the chances of becoming an alcoholic if you grew up with an alcoholic parent? Here’s everything you need to know:
If You Had an Alcoholic Parent, Are You More Likely to Become an Alcoholic?
The relationship between alcoholism and children who grew up with an alcoholic parent is complex, and researchers have conducted many types of studies to understand it. However, the short answer is yes: studies show that adult children of alcoholics are approximately four times more likely to develop an alcohol addiction than those who did not grow up with an alcoholic parent. You read that correctly. You and I are four times more likely to face a substance use disorder than someone who didn’t grow up with alcoholism in our house.
Yep. Grrrreat. When I first learned that stat, I felt a bit doomed, honestly. But then I thought it through. We experienced a lot – from topsy-turvy unpredictability to full-on abuse. Trauma with a capital T. It’s logical that if we don’t heal from that trauma, we’re more likely to turn to alcohol to cope with all the stuff that weighs us down.
Also muy interesante: Likelihood that a child of an alcoholic develops alcoholism is not the same at every stage of life; the risk is greatest between the teenage years and mid-thirties. This also makes sense because that’s the period in which it seems all social activities revolve around drinking alcohol.
Why Are You More Likely to Be an Alcoholic if Your Parent is an Alcoholic?
Researchers are still trying to understand the reasons that adult children of alcoholics are at such increased risk of becoming alcoholics themselves. However, most experts agree that there are many factors that likely play a role, including both a person’s environment and their genetics.
The environment a person is raised in affects their development in major ways. Growing up in a home ravaged by the chaos, instability, and lack of parental support characteristic of alcoholism deeply affects a person, especially in their formative years, and may put them at heightened risk of turning to alcohol for support.
Additionally, studies show genetics play a role in a person’s risk of developing alcoholism. Not everyone responds to alcohol the same way, and studies show that those with alcoholic family members are more likely to develop destructive patterns when exposed to alcohol than those who do not have a family history of alcoholism. If your family is like mine, alcoholism has been passed down, generation after generation for as far back as can be noted. I’d much rather have an antique teapot or something; how about you?
This is a topic I’ve discussed with thousands of people – and interestingly, it seems there is no middle space. Families either have zero history of alcoholism or countless family members facing it. My cousins and I have warned the young-ins of our family about our tendency to have addictive-style personalities and that alcoholism is “in our blood.” Be sure to “wear sunscreen, watch your blood pressure and…watch your drinking,” we advise at high school graduation parties and the like.
Breaking the Cycle
If you are an adult child of an alcoholic, the good news is that you have the power to change your life.
Although your risk of alcoholism if you were raised by an alcoholic is greater than those who did not grow up in the same situation, with the right resources and support, you can break the cycle in your family and create the life you’ve always wanted for yourself. You are uniquely you; you’re not your mom or dad or any other family member who’s fallen into a substance use disorder. Never let the odds discourage you. There are millions of us who’ve healed, broken the cycle in their families and living lives we love.
Meeting with a skilled therapist, attending support groups with other adult children of alcoholics, practicing self care and working to overcome past trauma and develop healthy thought processes can help you find the healing, hope and support you need to succeed.
Put in the time and effort to heal – and keep at it. It’s so more than worth it.
You can do this and you will.
