For many years, researchers have sought the answer to the question: Are people at higher risk of becoming alcoholics by living in that environment or are some people at hight risk due to family history? Numerous agencies and organizations around the world have studied twins, adoptions and various families. This research has concluded that children of alcoholics are four times more likely than the general population to become alcoholics.
But being the child of an alcoholic (or having several close family members) does not doom you to alcohol problems. Along with your genetic background, your choices make up your life outcome. If you know you have a strong family history of alcohol problems, you will need to make lower risk choices than someone who does not have that history. Does that mean that if you don’t have a family history you will not have alcohol problems? NO! You can still make high risk choices and develop problems.
We cannot change our family history. We can change the type of risk we are willing to take. These low risk guidelines can help you make choices for your life. If you do have a strong family history, your choice may be no risk or zero alcohol.
It’s up to you!