Connections Between Family History and Alcoholism

Connections Between Family History and Alcoholism

Many different theories have been designed over the concept of some relationship between Family history and alcoholism. There are many types of beliefs surrounding this idea, and many believe that Family history may share a deeper connection with the aspect of alcoholism. In reference to the major subject of Medicine and clinical matters, Family history normally consists of information in relation to disorders. The concept is that the direct type of patients undergoes much suffering. In an enlightened view, Family history is usually taken as a record of the major medical kind of information that concerns a certain kind of individual and their biological family.

In the recent past, human beings’ genetic kind of data is becoming much easier and more prevalent for the medical team to recover( Goodwin., et al, 1973). The data is normally taken to be of greater importance as it helps identify the individuals at a major risk of developing the genetically related disorders that run in the families. Family History is considered very important as it brings along a sense of recognition and identity(Ohannessian, 1993). Apart from identity and recognition, it gives us the chance to study more about our ancestors, embrace and celebrate the family traditions, and have a bigger understanding of the place we came from. Understanding such concepts can open our eyes to how we are beautiful and unique. Besides this, family history can bring a sense of self-worthiness and ownership.

Ohannesianexamined the effects of perceived social support (PSS) on the relationship between the family history (FH+) of alcoholism and the use of alcohol in approximately 85 adult children of alcoholics and in controls which add up to around 68(Ohannessian, 1993). The Social Support taken from peers and different family members ended up being assessed for the differential effects, which had much potential. The gender differences (48% Male) underwent a thorough examination. In the overall findings, the PSS from the friend’s side who were taken as not part of the family members importantly made a moderation of the relationship between the family history of alcoholism and the indicators of the use of alcohol (Ohannessian, 1993). A good example is the Michigan Alcohol Screening Test. The outcome showed that Male FH+ SS who had a low PSS level showed a higher chance of developing alcoholic issues. The Female FH+Ss with volumes of PSS comes from a family that was highly concerned about developing a problem of drinking that was equally important in the interaction of gender and study.

There are several suggestions and ways to prove that the Family history has a relationship with alcoholism. A good example of proving this is that looking at a family with an alcoholism history will usually affect the future generation(Ohannessian, 1993). Some genes have a relationship with alcohol metabolisms, such as ADH1B and ALDH2 normally look closely tied to the drinking risk. The study of epigenetics has rapidly increased and broadened our knowledge about the heritable changes that do not involve alterations in the DNA sequence. Alcoholism, like other psychiatric disorders, is considered to be epigenetically regulated. Studies in rodents have indicated that environmental insults during early development can lead to lasting gene expression and metabolism changes that increase vulnerability to disease(Mann, et al, 1985). The family history of alcohol usage disorders may cause an increase in fear of early disposal of genes to construct the user of alcohol kind of disorder with several risks that heighten and speed up the parent to child transmission. 

References

Ohannessian, C. M., &Hesselbrock, V. M (1993). The Influence of Perceived Social Support on the Relationship between Family History of Alcoholism and Drinking Behaviors. Addiction 88(12), 1651-1658. Doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443. 1993. tb02040

Goodwin, D. W., Schulsinger, F., Hermansen, L., Guze, S. B., & Winokur, G. (1973). Alcohol problems in adoptees raised apart from alcoholic biological parents. Archives of General Psychiatry, 28(2), 238–243. doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1973.01750320068011

Mann, R. E., Sobell, L. C., Sobell, M. B., & Pavan, D. (1985). Reliability of a family tree questionnaire for assessing family history of alcohol problems. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 15(1–2), 61–67. doi:10.1016/0376-8716(85)90030-4