Many people argue whether or not Alcoholism-an addiction to the consumption of alcohol- is due to nurture by our genetics or nature by environment. Some argue that it is due to genetics because many people who become alcoholics also had parents and grandparents who were alcoholics as well. In contrary, others believe that this addiction is due to the environment that they are grown up it whether or not it is in their genes. However, according to the article http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1200/is_n5_v141/ai_11809138/ both nature and nurture play a role in the development of Alcoholism. Studies show that children who have alcoholic parents with similar genetic code are 4 times more likely to become alcoholic than children with parents who are not. This is due to nurture where genetics play a crucial role. However, children with no similar genes to their parents who grow up in a home with alcoholic parents also have a high chance of becoming alcoholics. This is due to nature and how the environment plays a crucial role. I do believe that both nature and nurture play a role in the development of Alcoholism but I also believe that both play a role in preventing people from suffering alcoholism.
For example, when my grandma was a child, she and 8 other siblings were raised by abusive parents who suffered from alcoholism. My grandma, being the oldest, was just 14 years old and basically took care of herself as well as her other siblings. Both her mother and father were always at the bar they owned drinking and didn't get home until 4 or 5 in the morning. Because my grandma was raised in an environment and had genes similar to parents who suffered from alcoholism, she definitely could've had the tendency to become an alcoholic due to both nature and nurture. However, I believe that because she had this tendency, she realized the type of life she'd live as an alcoholic was not what she wanted and therefore has never suffered from alcoholism.
Sources:
www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=6&ved=0CEcQFjAF&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffindarticles.com%2Fp%2Farticles%2Fmi_m1200%2Fis_n5_v141%2Fai_11809138%2F&ei=EBgsT-yqFfD0sQLLgaH-DQ&usg=AFQjCNENnWYOMJDeMxLzsbGdSrDo2AWRqg
http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/FamilyHistory/famhist.htm
I found this article extremely interesting because I have never read about any research conducted on this topic before now. I believe that alcoholism is a disease and is more nature than nuture. A best friend of mine lost his dad due to alcoholism and growing up with him, I was able to see subtle alcoholic tendencies. I've seen many examples of people with this sickness and it is extremely difficult to overcome.
I also think that the gene and the environment affect the alcoholism like your article. One of them can be predominent. On the other hand, both elements can create a synergy. I think your instance was helpful for me to understand the article more. Your topic was interesting!