Is Addiction Genetic or a Learned Behavior? (E48)

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Gill discusses what increases our risk for developing a problem. You’ll learn if there is a specific gene for alcoholism, how genetics influences your risk for developing a problem, and how your life experiences influence the risk. By the end of this episode you will have a good understanding of what factors could potentially align in someone’s life to create a problem, one reason why we can’t become take it or leave it drinkers, and why some people are much less likely to ever develop a problem.

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Sources

1. ACES Too high. Got your ACE Score? https://acestoohigh.com/got-your-ace-score/

2. Jaffe, A. Linked: Adverse Childhood Experiences, Health + Addiction. Psychology Today. 2019

3. Dick, D., Kendler, K. The Impact of Gene-Environmental Interaction on Alcohol Use Disorders. Alcohol Res. 2012

4. Genes in Life. How do your Genes and the Environment Interact? 2020

5. Lobo, I. Environmental Influences on Gene Expression. Nature Education. 2008

6. Dias, B., Ressler, K. Parental olfactory experience influences behavior and neural structure in subsequent generations. Nat Neurosci 17, 89–96 (2014).

7. Verhulst B, Neale MC, Kendler KS. The heritability of alcohol use disorders: a meta-analysis of twin and adoption studies. Psychol Med. 2015;45(5):1061-1072.

8. Holahan, C.  Drinking to Cope and Alcohol Use and Abuse in Unipolar Depression: A 10-Year Model.  Journal of Abnormal Psychology.  Vol 112, No1, 159-165. 2003.

9. Holahan CJ, Moos RH, Holahan CK, Cronkite RC, Randall PK. Drinking to cope, emotional distress and alcohol use and abuse: a ten-year model. Journal of Studies on Alcohol. 2001;62(2):190-198. doi:10.15288/jsa.2001.62.190

10. T, Buddy.  Drinking to Relieve Stress May Actually Compound the Problem. Verywell Mind. 2021. ‌

11. Silveri, M. Just How does Drinking Affect the Teenage Brain? McLean. 2020

12. Paturel, A. The Effects of Drinking on the Teenage Brain. Brain and Life. 2011

Cite this episode

Tietz, G. Episode 48: Is Addiction Genetic or a Learned Behavior? Sober Powered. 2021.

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