Is it because growing up with an alcoholic parent psychologically gravitates you towards it as well? If this is the case then I can understand that. But I’ve read that it’s genetic as well. How does that work if a parent became an alcoholic after their child was born? Or is it both psychological and genetic?
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Well when people drink or do a drug then it activates the reward center (aka the ‘good job for doing this’ center). Alcohol does that, it makes you feel in some ways good and a bit euphoric when you drink it. But genetics is part of this process – how good it makes you feel, and the wiring of your brain to seek it out and abuse it to try to get more reward center going.
So that is part how you grow up, and part how your body is genetically wired up.
Like imagine a pill you could take that makes you feel absolutely wonderful, and without it it is very hard to feel as wonderful doing anything else. The pill works better on some than others, and some people are more resistant to chasing that feel in than others.
Addiction problems start with beliefs and values. People who take substances around children often have beliefs and values that encourage taking substances to relieve stress or achieve something. Their children are exposed to these ideas and come to see substance use as a normal/familiar behaviour or situational response.
Substance use becomes a problem when it is damaging, not when you can’t stop. Addicts are addicts because they *don’t* stop taking substances, not because they can’t.
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