Alcoholism and Its Biological Origins.
Jason M. Fitzgerald
Political Science/Economics
Brief Introductory Information-
The goal of my research is to dispel some of the myths about alcoholism and present some of the research that has been done to determine whether or not alcoholism is a disease that genetics can explain. The treatment of alcoholism and our response to those inflicted with the disease varies greatly based on whether or not we believe that genetics and biology play an important role in creating an alcohol problem. For many years people people viewed the alcoholic as a weak willed cripple that allowed drinking to overrun their lives. Today, that has changed greatly and most people do view alcoholism as a disease and realize that otherwise strong people can have an addiction problem that is out of their control.
This is an issue that is very important to me and a lot of other people. Everyone has a friend or family member that has suffered from alcoholism. We all have seen otherwise good, decent people become reckless and out of control after drinking too much. The goal of my research is to discuss not only Alcoholism, but responsible drinking patterns as well. I will also use some interesting statistics and facts that I found on other websites and through organizations that deal with addiction, I will provide links as necessary. The bulk of the research that I will use for this site is from Dr. Frederick A. Montgomery, of the SUNDOWN M RANCH, a licensed alcohol treatment center. The reason that I rely so heavily on his work is that it is the most comprehensive yet readable research that I have found.
I do believe, after extensive research, that alcoholism has some origins in genetics, but that getting help for it requires some degree of personal responsibility. I will cover some of the arguments against the "genetics" theory of alcoholism as I seek to present an unbiased presentation of the facts. I do hope that this site is informative and interesting and that it gets you to think more carefully about Alcoholism.
Why should we care?
The reason that I decided to this project is because I have seen first hand the results of addiction. I have seen good people due bad things when they were under the influence of their drug of choice. I have also viewed a legal system that implements sentences on people suffering from addiction that does punish them but does not allow them to get the help that they need. As statistics that can be found later in this site will demonstrate Alcohol abuse effects a large number of people in this country. It effects not only the person suffering from the disease but their family, friends, and the entire community.
Some of the societal costs of Alcoholism include increases in insurance rates because of drunk driving, costs to employers due to missing work, and children, men and women being abused by alcoholics. Not all alcoholics hurt people, in fact, most likely don't. They suffer in silence with a demean they feel that they have no control over.
Alcoholism effects people in every social and economic category, it does not choose its victims based on the color of their skins or the size of their paychecks. Because people are suffering this is an important issue.
Some Statistics From The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency -
All statistics are from The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency Official Wed Site.
OVERVIEW
- Untreated addiction costs America $400 billion per year (Substance Abuse: The Nation's Number One Health Problem, Brandeis University, Schneider Institute for Health Policy, 2001).
- 23 million Americans suffer from substance abuse addiction (Substance Abuse: The Nation's Number One Health Problem, Brandeis University, Schneider Institute for Health Policy, 2001).
- Untreated addiction is more expensive than 3 of the nation's top 10 killers: 6 times more expensive than America's number one killer: heart disease ($133.2 billion/year), 6 times more than diabetes ($130 billion/year), 4 times more than cancer ($96.1billion/year) (Substance Abuse: The Nation's Number One Health Problem, Brandeis University, Schneider Institute for Health Policy, 2001).
- Drug related deaths have almost doubled since 1990--approximately one in four deaths each year is attributable to substance abuse (Substance Abuse: The Nation's Number One Health Problem, Brandeis University, Schneider Institute for Health Policy, 2001).
- More than half of all adults have a family history of alcoholism or problem drinking (Position Paper on Drug Policy, Physician Leadership on National Drug Policy (PLNDP), Brown University Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, 2000).
- More than 9 million children live with a parent dependent on alcohol and/or illicit drugs (Position Paper on Drug Policy, Physician Leadership on National Drug Policy (PLNDP), Brown University Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, 2000).
- Heavy drinking contributes to illness in each of the top three causes of death: heart disease, cancer and stroke (Position Paper on Drug Policy, Physician Leadership on National Drug Policy (PLNDP), Brown University Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, 2000).
SOCIAL AND MEDICAL BARRIERS TO TREATMENT
- 82% of doctors admit that physicians avoid addressing alcoholism in their patients (The Road to Recovery: A Landmark National Study on Public Perceptions of Alcoholism and Barriers to Treatment. Peter D. Hart Research Associates, Inc. 1998).
- Families need and want help: 72% of families whose doctor has not intervened to arrest addiction say they would want the doctor to do so (The Road to Recovery: A Landmark National Study on Public Perceptions of Alcoholism and Barriers to Treatment. Peter D. Hart Research Associates, Inc. 1998.)
- A 58% majority of employers acknowledged that managers avoid addressing alcoholism in their employees (The Road to Recovery: A Landmark National Study on Public Perceptions of Alcoholism and Barriers to Treatment. Peter D. Hart Research Associates, Inc. 1998).
- 58% of clergy acknowledge that they avoid addressing alcoholism among the individuals and families they counsel (: The Road to Recovery: A Landmark National Study on Public Perceptions of Alcoholism and Barriers to Treatment. Peter D. Hart Research Associates, Inc. 1998).
TREATMENT WORKS
- Treatment of addiction is as successful as treatment of other chronic diseases, diabetes, hypertension and asthma (National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment, 1999).
- Drug treatment reduces drug use by 40-60%. (NIDA, Pinciples of Drug Addiction Treatment, 1999).
- One year of methadone treatment costs $4700 per patient-one year of imprisonment is $18,400 (NIDA, Pinciples of Drug Addiction Treatment, 1999).
- For every $1 spent on treatment yields a return of up to $7 in a reduction of drug related crime and criminal justice costs (NIDA, Pinciples of Drug Addiction Treatment, 1999).
- When adding savings related to health care, the savings exceed costs by a ratio of 12:1 (NIDA, Pinciples of Drug Addiction Treatment, 1999).
- No differences in success of treatment between genders, age or ethnicity (NIDA, Pinciples of Drug Addiction Treatment, 1999).
- The majority of employee managers (83%) believe its better for a company's bottom-line to help employees recover from addiction than it is to terminate them for alcohol-related incidents (The Road to Recovery: A Landmark National Study on Public Perceptions of Alcoholism and Barriers to Treatment. Peter D. Hart Research Associates, Inc. 1998).
- Treatment saves money: A Chevron Corporation analysis indicated that $10 is saved for every $1 spent on employee rehabilitation (figure does not include savings for reduction in workplace accidents as a result of employee rehabilitation) (Chevron Corporation, Testimony on Workplace Substance-Abuse Prevention Programs before the Subcommittee on National Security, International Affairs and Criminal Justice of the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, U.S. House of Representatives, June 1996).
The Biology of Alcoholism-
Research conducted and compiled by Dr. Fredrick Montgomery indicates a very strong relationship between genetics and alcohol abuse. I found his research very convincing and informative. I will exposit his views on this issue and list some possible arguments against it in the following section. This research is based on years of evidence collection and scientific experimentation by a number of highly respected scientific. I strongly encourage you to review his website which can be linked to above.
According to Montgomery, alcoholism is a familiar disorder. Well over 70% of patients with the disease report that members of their first or second degree family have suffered from alcoholism. His definition of first degree family members is mother, father, and children. His second degree definition includes grandparents, uncles, aunts, and more distant blood relatives. The person without alcoholic first or second degree relatives has less than 8% chance of developing alcoholism. If both of a persons parents are alcoholic they are four times more likely to be an alcoholic (Montgomery).
There is also evidence that even children whose adopted parents are not alcoholic but whose biological parents were are more likely to be alcoholic themselves. I did not find overly convincing information to support this but Dr. Montgomery claims to have. There has been extensive and highly scientific evidence that seems to support this notion but I did find any of them very readable.
If, as Montgomery believes, alcoholism is a familial-genetic disease then it is carried from generation to generation through genes. Research suggests that alcoholism may involve a number of genes. Research has also suggested that alcoholics had a higher level of acetaldehyde in the bloodstream than nonalcoholics. The by-products of excess acetaldehyde are called TIQ's or tetrahydroisoquinolines. These are found in high numbers in people who are alcoholic (Montgomery). This in layman's terms would indicate a genetic relationship in alcoholism. It is also important to note that most scientists that believe in the genetic theory would not entirely dismiss the theory that the environment one grows up in has a major effect on their alcohol consumption patterns.
Criticism of the Genetic Theory-
Many people believe that this theory of genetics and alcoholism is a result of people trying to find an excuses for their own lack of self control. Some critics suggest that the resulting numbers associated with these genetic studies contain flaws in numbers or the result are too small to indicate a genetic relationship. These critics also point out flaws in adoption studies, which I found to be the most convincing evidence of a relationship between alcoholism and genetics. They claim that studies that seem to prove that adopted children whose birth parents were alcoholic; themselves often become alcoholics; do not consider environmental factors that may contribute to this phenomenon (pdx.edu).
Critics believe that studies should consider that often children's adopting parents may have drinking problems and the child's use of alcohol may have a great deal to with the environment they grew up in. Another important factor to consider is the age at which a child was adopted. If they are more advanced in age when they were adopted environmental factors could play a major role as well. Finally, the amount of alcohol a child was exposed to in the womb may have a major effect on future alcohol consumption patterns. If the mother consumed a great deal of alcohol while the child was in the womb the child's tolerance to alcohol may be higher which may explain why they drink more later in life (pdx.edu).
I do understand some of the criticism that has been raised but I believe the research that has been done to prove a causality between genetics and alcoholism. I would not totally dismiss any studies that have been done to prove that envirmental factors are of particular importance to determining the origins of alcoholism. I think that the origins of alcoholism are likely a combination of personal choice, genetics, and environmental factors. One should keep an open mind and realize, however, that a good deal of the research done by major scientists has indicated some sort of gentic relationship between alcohol over-consumption and genetics.
Warning Signs and Effects on Alcoholism-
Warning signs of Alcoholism include the following-
1. A strong craving for a drink and the frequent inability to stop drinking once a person has begun.
2. An increased tolerance toward alcohol.
3. Problems associated with work and/school as a result of drinking.
For more warning signs visit www.aarecovery.com
What is Alcohol Abuse?
There is a fine line between responsible drinking and alcohol abuse, one should consult there doctor if they have any questions about treatment or if they need it. Here are some common indicators of an alcohol abuse problem-
1. Failure to fulfill work, home or school responsibilities.
2. Drinking in situations that are physically dangerous, such as driving a car or operating machinery.
3. Re-occurring alcohol related legal problems.
4. Continued drinking despite having ongoing relationship problems that are caused by drinking.
All information listed above came from www.aarecovery.com
For more about alcoholism-
1. Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters
2. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) World Service
Bibliography-
Websites
A1. Alcoholism http:www.aarecovery.com/alcoholism.html.
A2. Genetic? http:web.pdx.edu/~hue/alcholism_and_genetics.htm
A3. Montgomery, Fredrick A.. (2004, October 23). The Biology of Alcholism. SUNDOWN M. RANCH. <http:www.sundown.org>. (2004, October 23).
A4. http:web.pdx.edu
Text
B1. Arterburn, Stephen. Hand-Me-Down Genes and Second_Hand Emotions. Nashville: Oliver-Nelson, 1992.
B2. Cotton, N.S.: The Familial Incidence of Alcoholism 1979.
B3. Goodwin, D.W. et al: Alcohol Problems in Adoptees Raised Apart From Alcoholic Biological Parents. Archives of General Psychiarty, 1973.
B4. Hubbard, Ruth, and Elijah Wald. Exploring the Gene Myth. Boston: Beacon, 1997.
B5. Swartz, C.M. Epinephrine Levels and Responses to Alcohol Consumption. Psychiatric News. 05 September 1986.