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<blockquote data-quote="donna723" data-source="post: 23932" data-attributes="member: 1883"><p>It really is a lot to think about. I know that it is supposed to run in families, and that there is such a thing as an "addictive personality". It's hard to tell if it is a true physical thing or environment - what you grow up seeing. My dads' family had a lot of heavy drinkers, but that's what people did back then! All my dads' brothers drank quite a bit, his sisters more moderately, but my dad the most. And it was just accepted that when you grew up, you drank! Both of my brothers drank, and the younger one, caught up in the Viet Nam era, also did drugs when he was in the military, but so did everybody else in his situation! The younger one realized that, with him, it was all or nothing and hasn't done either drugs or alcohol since back in the 70's! The older one still drinks, and he drinks way too much at times, even though he now has serious medical problems. He would never call himself an alcoholic, but he is one. So who really knows if it's genetic, or just what they grew up seeing and accepted as "normal" male behavior in our family.</p><p></p><p>And I, coming from the same family, have never had the slightest desire to drink! In the rare social occasions when alcohol is served, I force down a little to be polite and then ditch the rest. BUT, I am probaby just as thoroughly "addicted" to my coffee and cigarettes as they were to alcohol. So maybe there is such a thing as an "addictive personality". </p><p></p><p>My ex- came from a family where both parents could qualify as alcoholics, his father with a very severe problem and his mother less so. Alcohol truly rules his life - it comes before anything else - his family, his health, everything. And he is not a "funny" drunk! The more he drinks, the meaner and more abusive and irresponsible he becomes. And he has been in total denial most of his life about the affects his alcoholism has had on his life. He can rationalize away anything, and truly believes that alcohol doesn't have the same affect on him that it does on other people. If other people drink and drive, they are a hazard and should be locked away forever - he, on the other hand is, "different" and he can handle it! He really believes this! He also mixes the alcohol with prescription drugs, pain killers, etc. And if he ever did cut down on his drinking, he would just substitute more drugs to make up the difference. Two of his three brothers have already died at a very young age from problems connected with or aggravated by their alcoholism. The third brother drank when he was very young, but then quit completely and has never drank or done drugs again. He is the only one who has had a successful, happy life. But even with them, is it what they grew up seeing? Self-medicating for some undiagnosed mental disorder? Or are they genetically predisposed towards substance abuse? Is it just "wired" into them? Needless to say, I have always been very worried about my children!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="donna723, post: 23932, member: 1883"] It really is a lot to think about. I know that it is supposed to run in families, and that there is such a thing as an "addictive personality". It's hard to tell if it is a true physical thing or environment - what you grow up seeing. My dads' family had a lot of heavy drinkers, but that's what people did back then! All my dads' brothers drank quite a bit, his sisters more moderately, but my dad the most. And it was just accepted that when you grew up, you drank! Both of my brothers drank, and the younger one, caught up in the Viet Nam era, also did drugs when he was in the military, but so did everybody else in his situation! The younger one realized that, with him, it was all or nothing and hasn't done either drugs or alcohol since back in the 70's! The older one still drinks, and he drinks way too much at times, even though he now has serious medical problems. He would never call himself an alcoholic, but he is one. So who really knows if it's genetic, or just what they grew up seeing and accepted as "normal" male behavior in our family. And I, coming from the same family, have never had the slightest desire to drink! In the rare social occasions when alcohol is served, I force down a little to be polite and then ditch the rest. BUT, I am probaby just as thoroughly "addicted" to my coffee and cigarettes as they were to alcohol. So maybe there is such a thing as an "addictive personality". My ex- came from a family where both parents could qualify as alcoholics, his father with a very severe problem and his mother less so. Alcohol truly rules his life - it comes before anything else - his family, his health, everything. And he is not a "funny" drunk! The more he drinks, the meaner and more abusive and irresponsible he becomes. And he has been in total denial most of his life about the affects his alcoholism has had on his life. He can rationalize away anything, and truly believes that alcohol doesn't have the same affect on him that it does on other people. If other people drink and drive, they are a hazard and should be locked away forever - he, on the other hand is, "different" and he can handle it! He really believes this! He also mixes the alcohol with prescription drugs, pain killers, etc. And if he ever did cut down on his drinking, he would just substitute more drugs to make up the difference. Two of his three brothers have already died at a very young age from problems connected with or aggravated by their alcoholism. The third brother drank when he was very young, but then quit completely and has never drank or done drugs again. He is the only one who has had a successful, happy life. But even with them, is it what they grew up seeing? Self-medicating for some undiagnosed mental disorder? Or are they genetically predisposed towards substance abuse? Is it just "wired" into them? Needless to say, I have always been very worried about my children! [/QUOTE]
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