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As is the case with any form of addiction treatment, detoxing through a rehabilitation program is the best first step. Some detox facilities in the United States specialize in drug rehab while others focus on alcohol rehab, but many are blended. A sober living home is the next step and helps to establish a routine of sobriety and healthy living. Therapy and social support Transitional living components as offered in sober living housing, rehabilitation programs, AA meetings which use the 12 step program are a cornerstone in addiction treatment. Having a support that includes a sponsor has also proven to be very effective and will help the individual understand their addiction, avoid triggers for relapse, and maintain a sober, healthy lifestyle.

If you have a genetic risk of developing an alcohol addiction and have exhibited signs of this disorder, it’s important to seek treatment as soon as possible. Counseling and support can help tackle social and environmental factors that could contribute to an alcohol problem in the future. If you or a loved one has already developed a problem, there are outpatient and inpatient programs that can help.

Research Studies From Clinicaltrials Gov

Nongenetic factors also play a critical role in alcohol use disorder. Factors that increase the risk of this condition include depression or other psychiatric disorders and certain psychological traits, including impulsivity and low self-esteem. Stress, associating with others who abuse alcohol, and having easy access to alcohol also contribute to a person’s risk.

To date, GWAS have focused on common variants, with allele frequencies of 5% or higher. Most GWAS are case-control studies or studies of quantitative traits in unrelated subjects, but family-based GWAS provide another approach.

Moderate Drinking

A study in Sweden followed alcohol use in twins who were adopted as children and reared apart. The incidence of alcoholism was slightly higher among people who were exposed to alcoholism only through their adoptive families. However, it was dramatically higher among the twins whose biological fathers were alcoholics, regardless of the presence of alcoholism in their adoptive families. Alcohol use disorder often seems to run in families, and we may hear about scientific studies of an “alcoholism gene.” Genetics certainly influence our likelihood of developing AUD, but the story isn’t so simple. Genome-wide association and genetic functional studies identify autism susceptibility candidate 2 gene in the regulation of alcohol consumption. Confirmation of association of the GABRA2 gene with alcohol dependence by subtype-specific analysis.

To truly understand the influence of genetics and heredity, we must understand the difference between the two. Studies show that alcohol use is also more prevalent in certain income brackets. While many may think that alcohol consumption is more common at lower income levels, it’s actually quite the opposite. In fact, 78% of people who have a household income of $75,000 or more drink alcohol as opposed to the 45% of persons with a household income of $30,000 or less. While our family life may have an enormous impact on an individual’s risk of alcoholism, it is not the only factor at play.

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Evidence for a locus on chromosome 1 that influences vulnerability to alcoholism and affective disorder. Interaction between the functional polymorphisms of the alcohol-metabolism genes in protection against alcoholism. Higuchi S. Polymorphisms of ethanol metabolizing enzyme genes and alcoholism. Luczak SE, Glatt SJ, Wall TJ. Meta-analyses of ALDH2 and ADH1B with alcohol dependence in Asians. Kendler KS, Neale MC, Heath AC, Kessler RC, Eaves LJ. A twin-family study of alcoholism in women. Bohman M, Sigvardsson S, Cloninger CR. Maternal inheritance of alcohol abuse.

The Sinclair method is another approach to using naltrexone or other opioid antagonists to treat alcoholism by having the person take the medication about an hour before they drink alcohol and only then. The medication blocks the positive reinforcement effects of ethanol and hypothetically allows the person to stop drinking or drink less. A follow-up study, using the same subjects that were judged to be in remission in 2001–2002, examined the rates of return to problem drinking in 2004–2005.

What Causes Alcohol Use Disorder?

Psychotherapy may also effectively target certain genes versus others. A genetic disposition to alcohol abuse does not mean a person will develop an alcohol use disorder. Less than half of the children of people with an alcohol use disorder will develop an alcohol use disorder. Alcohol is highly addictive and often used to self-medicate in the face of environmental and social triggers, mental health concerns and other stressors. It can create feelings of happiness and freedom, also referred to as a buzz, which allows people to temporarily escape from financial woes, stress, family issues and other struggles. For many people, drinking alcohol is also a social activity and is perceived as a way to fit in, especially while underage. As it relates to alcoholism, genes, environment and social interaction can all affect a person’s risk level for alcohol addiction.

Ondansetron and topiramate are supported by tentative evidence in people with certain genetics. Evidence for ondansetron is more in those who have just begun having problems with alcohol. Topiramate is a derivative of the naturally occurring sugar monosaccharide D-fructose.

What Are Some Alcoholism Causes And Risk Factors?

These treatment options have all shown proven success rates. If you need help finding a sober living home, contact us today.

The University of Washington and the University of Queensland conducted a large-scale male and female twin study involving 5,889 participants. The children of people with an alcohol use disorder face a twofold greater risk of developing an alcohol use disorder. NIAAA has funded the Collaborative Studies on Genetics of Alcoholism since 1989, with the goal of identifying the specific genes that influence alcohol use disorder. In addition, NIAAA funds investigators’ research in this important field, and also has an in-house research emphasis on the interaction of genes and the environment. NIAAA is committed to learning more about how genes affect AUD so that treatment—and prevention efforts—can continue to be developed and improved. Excessive alcohol consumption, particularly binge drinking, contributes to many other diseases, including cirrhosis and cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract, colon, rectum and liver. Genes that affect the quantity and frequency of drinking impact the risk of many of these diseases.

Genetically Sensitivities To Alcohol

Maintaining friendships with people who have unhealthy habits can also be a risky situation. Our peers are also a huge part of our environment and we tend to normalize the behavior we are accustomed to, even when that behavior is dangerous. 31% of millennials say that they drink to feel more comfortable around new people since alcohol tends to dull our inhibitions.

• These include cirrhosis of the liver, kidney damage, diabetes, and a variety of cancers.
• According to scientists, drunken drosophila fruit flies behave the same way humans do when they are drunk.
• Each gene has a particular part to play in the overall function of your body.
• The GI tract is exposed to very high levels of alcohol as it passes through the mouth, esophagus, stomach and intestinal tract, and most ethanol passes through the liver before entering the circulation.
• The more environmental factors a person experiences, the more likely he or she is to eventually develop an alcohol use disorder.

The two manuals use similar but not identical nomenclature to classify alcohol problems. For alcohol consumption by people in general, see Alcohol .

How Genetics Contribute To Alcohol Use Disorder

As larger samples are assembled and more variants analyzed, a much fuller picture of the many genes and pathways that impact risk will be discovered. Prevention and education programs can address this risk as part of regular medical checkups. Genetics are understood to be a component of AUD, but not the sole cause. Those with alcoholism genetic statistics a family history of alcoholism have the highest risk of becoming alcoholics. Additionally, if you have more than one relative with an alcohol use disorder, you may have inherited genes that put you at risk. Even so, just because someone is susceptible to alcoholism does not mean they’re going to develop this condition.