Genealogy and epigenetics both play a substantial role in a person’s relationship with addiction. Researchers are discovering that the age-old saying “nature versus nurture” is more accurately “nature and nurture.” The two concepts work simultaneously to create who we are as people both consciously and on a molecular level. Generational addiction and epigenetics not only account for proclivities people are born with but proclivities towards substance use that people develop in their upbringing. An individual may be predisposed to addiction at birth or it may be ingrained in them through their environment or how they were raised. Let’s discuss how these two concepts relate to addiction—sometimes in tandem.
Tag: genetics
Is Addiction a Disease?
Addiction is a serious problem in America. More than 130 people die daily from opioid overdose1 and 1 in 10 adults died from excessive alcohol use between 2006 and 2010.2 With addiction being one of the leading preventable causes of death in the United States, it’s essential that we thoroughly understand what addiction is so […]
Is Addiction Genetic?
Updated on October 7th, 2020 It’s important to understand that addiction may have a genetic component that affects your risk of addiction and growing up in a home where substance abuse is prevalent also makes you more susceptible to the disease. However, your family background shouldn’t mean that you’re doomed to spend your life battling […]