addictive personality

[nailit]

Just been reading joggerjayne's thread, below, about alcoholics. Sort of following on from that , do you think there is such a thing as an addictive personality or is this term just bannded about as an excuse to indulge addictions?
As someone who has battled my own addictions (including alcohol) I would be very interested in your views.
Thanks

[daffy654]

I think some people are more prone to addiction than others are.
I always thought I was too strong to ever get addicted to anything.... but I am currently going cold turkey from prescription painkillers, so not as strong as I thought I was.
:-/

[WF8MAN]

I think it's just a case of name your poison! It doesn't matter whether it's booze, fags or walkers crisps, if you think about it all the time, then, your'e addicted!

[rowanwitch]

Would you experience uncomfortable feelings or physical symptoms if you couldn't do it any more...you are addicted..

[ummmm]

Yes I do think people have addictive personalities.

I've lived with them.....and it's the reason I will NEVER put a bet on.

[Sqad]

Do you mean that the "addictive" is genetically determined or that environmental factors have determined this trend, or both?

I dont know............but my impression, based on experience and limited reading and knowledge leads me to suspect that it is not genetically pre - determined.

[nailit]

Yes squad, thats what I mean, genetically determined. I seem to recall hearing some years ago about the possible discovery of a gene that predisposes people to alcohol dependency.

[ummmm]

It's not just alcohol.

[nailit]

thanks to the other posters for replies btw

[tonyav]

Agree with sqad, especially in younger years ie: you start smoking because your mates do, you start drinking because your mates do, you start popping pills or smoking weed because your mates do ect.

[NOX]

I do think that yes, but in my own case I don't believe it applies to me, because although I was drinking way too much and shoving an alarming quantity of stuff up my nose, once my personal issues were resolved all feeling of need for either substance or drink vabished and I can now have a glass of wine with a meal and not feel the need to sink 3 bottles of it. I know a lot of alcoholics are too terrified to even have a sniff of a drink lest they lapse back into old ways, I really don't feel like that, so I think there must be an addictive personality type.

[nailit]

tonyav, I started drinking heavily in my teenage years when none of my mates did (they were always the sensible kind) because of the (percieved) relief it gave me. I smoked, glue and petrol sniffed and began popping benzodiazapenes when I could get them, no peer pressure from anywhere.
NOX, like you, once personal issues resolved themselves, the 'need' for a lot of my substance misuse fell away but ive always struggled with drink. I now only drink twice a week but it still has a hold on me.

[China Doll]

I'm pretty sure there is something in the genes that can make you more likely to do something. So I am prone to depression, which means that in a similar set of bad circumstances to someone else who is not prone to depression I would be likely to react differently. There's a massive history of depression in my family on both sides so I do believe there is something genetic to it although it is neither an excuse nor a reason, but being aware of it is helpful in dealing with it. I recall I asked a question about it in science before and got some really interesting answers.

[nailit]

China, depression is a horrible thing to go through, I was once hospitalised with it for months.

[FredPuli43]

Yes, there is. One difficulty for those who treat addiction is 'transferred addiction'. The subject may be addicted to alcohol, become sober and not drink again, but will suddenly manifest a hitherto absent addiction to something else. This may be another substance but it may be shopping, buying at auctions (addicts get a 'high' from auctions, because they like instant gratificatiion and the 'thrill of the chase'), gambling etc.
There is good evidence that a tendency to alcoholism is inherited. It was once thought that the child was simply more at risk if he had alcoholic parents, by exposure to alcohol and its parental acceptance. But it's simpler than that. Some people are born with an aversion to alcohol; they may be physically sick on consuming any; some can take it or leave it, and a few get such a rewarding feeling from it that they seek more. The last are at risk from their brain chemistry, which is genetically determined. We often find that the, now alcoholic, child of sober parents has a grandparent or other direct ancestor who was an alcoholic; the addiction 'runs in the family' occurs frequently in the family tree, and afflicts individuals randomly. The upbringing is not the cause, inheritance is.

[tonyav]

Some very good points there Fred.

[Brinjal]

A few of my friends had issues with substance abuse when we were young and turned to cult like churches when managing to give up their drug of choice which seemed to indicate that they left one dependency for another.

[nailit]

Brinjal, Ive known a few alcoholics myself that have turned to religion. If it works for them I guess its ok as long as they arnt hurting anyone. Not my cup of tea though.
Some very interesting points there Fred. As it happens both of my sisters are a bit too fond of alcohol as well, although my mother has never drank and my father only ever had a few pints on a sunday afternoon.To the best of my knowledge none of my grandparents were drinkers.

[FredPuli43]

Well, nailit, I never saw either of my parents affected by alcohol;they were very modest drinkers. But I discovered a family secret; my mother's father was an alcoholic. He had died of drink,long before I was born.

[nailit]

Guess you never know what skeletons are lurking in the family cupboard Fred.
Thanks for all replies folks, much appreciated.