2011-10-07
In ALCOHOLISM TREATMENT / Tags: addiction, Adult, alcoholic, children, Father's, gambling, more, susceptible /
Question by Tom P: are adult children of alcoholic fathers more susceptible to gambling addiction?
Best answer:
Answer by Snail
Addictive behaviors do run in families, just knowing this is a problem can be a benefit, just make sure you check your own habits to see if they are becoming a problem…good luck!
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
10 ResponsesLeave a comment ?
I’d say that anyone with a poor childhood which is often caused by having alcoholic/addicted parents are more susceptible to ANY addiction, not just gambling.
The addiction gene as I call it does exist, a few people on my fathers side were alcoholics (I never knew them) but my father never in his life took a sip of alcohol..but hes addicted to sodas and drinks lots of water, I don’t like alcohol ether, cant stand it and cigars or drugs but I also have addictions like sodas, so it will manifest itself one way or another.
I could see that happening, if they were from an abusive alcoholic home. Post traumatic stress has been associated with gambling addiction.
I wouldnt call it a direct cause though.
I believe that children of a parent with an addiction of any kind is are at risk for having an addictive personality themselves. This addictive aspect could manifest as substance abuse, alcoholism, gambling, or addictions to sex, shopping, food, etc., etc., etc.
We aren’t born with addiction , we become addicted by our behavior, gambeling is just addictive as alcohol or drugs, Gambeling is a stimulant, our brains release chemicals that make us become addicted. We get a high from gambeling, once you feel that, you keep going back for more.
As an adult child of 2 alchololic parents ( among other things) I realize that I have an addictive nature. It is not to gambling but to other things, I think addictive personalities is genetic and can be learned. If you are struggling with this, please get help. It is up to you to control, My philosophy for my life is ” Do not allow the past to make you someone you do not want to be but to be what you want to be. ” You have a choice. I grew up in a terrible family enviroment, but I chose to be a differnent and BETTER person and parent and wife then what was given to me. We all have free will, it is whether we chose to use it or not. Good luck
As a adult child of an alcoholic, I would say yes. I do not
drink due to medications, but my Sister does.
Did you know, that you can also have learning disabilities
being one also? I can’t do math in my head, I have trouble
making change, In fact, I had a job as a cashier! And when
I counldn’t make change for the person she told me I was
stupid and get the h*** out! Hows that for understanding?
I also have trouble with shapes. This is called “Limited
Spacial Ability” You would be surprised at how many things
you can get just because your parents drink and had you!
A psychologist tested me and found this. I suggest you do
it too – you may have more than you think!
Whatever causes alcoholism can come out as something different in other members of the family, such as:
panic attacks, ADHD, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, conduct disorder, learning disorders and dyslexia, phobias, anxiety attacks, depression, mood swings, other addictive behaviors like drug abuse, compulsive eating with obesity, and pathological gambling.
adult children of alcoholics are at a higher risk for many mental disorders for various reasons related to their learned behaviors and the way they were raised (or not raised)
I couldn’t tell you statistically; I personally am not addicted to gambling, and I am the adult child of an alcoholic father. I am also not an alcoholic (I have 1-2 drinks about once a week on average.) I can say that the one time I was exposed to slot machine gambling, I was not able to stop for a long time (one-time incident). I was with my father, stepmother and brother at the time. However, there was no subsequent addiction or seeking out of gambling situations. That was 24 years ago. As a casual observer, I’d say there is a greater incidence of dysfunction in such families, but that the dysfunction can take myriad forms. Who can say how I would have turned out had more opportunities for gambling presented themselves. It was a seductive encounter, but I was never tempted to repeat it.