The Genetics of Addiction Hereditary or Learned Behaviour

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It is believed by some people that addiction is not a disease because it was a choice, though it may have started off as a choice in the beginning how the substance reacted with the brain and how it changed was not. Choice does not determine whether something is a disease. Heart disease, diabetes and some forms of cancer involve personal choices like diet, exercise, sun exposure, etc. A disease is what happens in the body because of those choices. Addiction is defined as a disease by most medical associations, including the American Medical Association and the American Society of Addiction Medicine. People need to start seeing it in this way, that it is in fact more than just a choice and actually a disease so those with an addiction can seek the help they need and not place blame on themselves trying to face it alone. http://www.centeronaddiction.org/addiction/disease-model-addiction

It’s not all in your genes. Those worried about the possibility of following in their parents’ footsteps can rest at ease, with some knowledge of family history good coping skills and healthy life choices one does not have to be defined by inheritance. There is more to a person then just their genetics, by being mindful of your Environmental factors and environment interactions it will be that much easier to live an addiction free life regardless of your genetic inheritance.

Joshua Thorndyke ADDICTION 4

Reference List

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2012). A Family History of Alcoholism.

Are You at Risk?, NIH Publication No. 03–5340. Retrieved January 7, 2017,

from https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/familyhistory/famhist.htm

National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (2015). Family History and

Genetics. Why do some people become addicted to alcohol and drugs and others do not?,

Retrieved January 7, 2017,

from https://www.ncadd.org/about-addiction/family-history-and-genetics

National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.

(1999). Modern Genetic Analysis. Epigenetic Inheritance, New York: W. H. Freeman and

Company, Retrieved January 7, 2017 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21276/

CASAColumbia. (2012) Addiction medicine: Closing the gap between science and practice.

Retrieved January 7, 2017,

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