Alcoholism is Hereditary

I agree with others drinking alcohol is a choice no matter what your gens reflect. I know a young man that is the son of a preacher he is a full blown abusive alcoholic /drug user and has not stepped in a church for many years; this is type of life he chooses.
My brother has PKD a life threatening kidney disease; it is hereditary his father and several uncles had it. My brother has no choice; PKD choose him mainly because it is a genetic disease.
In my opinion drinking alcohol of any amount is a choice each of us must make often on a daily basis. I do believe chronic alcoholics may have a harder time refusing a drink than others; yet it is the choice of each individual at any giving time.

Thank you for your post as it helped me understand my own thoughts on the topic. The hereditary component of alcoholism does not mean that the offspring always become alcoholics.

I have some beliefs on what an alcoholic is or is not that I will not get into here. Suffice it to say there is a difference between being allergic to alcohol and too much use of alcohol.

If it is genetic then maybe they will eventually find a "cure." Currently, the only cure is not drinking. Again with the choices. Right now, people must choose to drink or not, despite what the underlying issues might be.

Being an alcoholic is a condition. Cannot prove that but I know it is true and knowing it is important to my recovery. I can be an alcoholic and never have taken a drink is what I am saying. Admittedly that sounds a mite weird.

It would be exceedingly rare for an alcoholic to never take a drink in their life. Mostly it is theoretical but important nevertheless- the foundation of what an alcoholic truly is.