Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and Family History

If you have a parent or other close family member with a drinking problem, you are at a higher risk of having one, too. Studies have been done of children whose parents misused alcohol. They are about 4 times more likely to have trouble with alcohol than people without this family history.

Many other things affect your risk of having a drinking problem. These are:

• How your parents raised you to think about alcohol use

• How your friends use or don't use alcohol

• Your stress level

• Your access to alcohol

• Your mental health—having conditions such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety can affect drinking behaviors

Knowing that you’re at risk is important. You can then take steps to protect yourself.

Certain symptoms

Experts consider alcohol use disorder (AUD) a medical condition. Its symptoms include an impaired ability to stop or control drinking alcohol even though there are severe family, social, work, or health consequences.

People with it have at least 3 of these symptoms:

1. Craving. You may have a strong need or urge to drink.

2. Loss of control. You may not be able to stop drinking or to control the results once you start drinking.

3. Physical dependence. When you stop drinking, you may have withdrawal symptoms. They include nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety.

4. Tolerance. You may drink greater amounts of alcohol over time.

What to do

If you think you are at risk for an alcohol problem, here are some steps to help prevent it:

• Don't drink at a young age. The risk for alcoholism is higher if you start to drink at an early age. This is because of social factors and genes.

• Drink moderately as an adult. Be careful even with moderate drinking. You may find it hard to stay at that level. Better yet, stay away from alcohol completely.

• Be aware of your mental health. Stress, anxiety, and depression can sometimes lead people to self-medicate with alcohol. Talk with your provider if you feel anxious or depressed.

Get help        

Talk with your healthcare provider or a substance-use counselor. They can advise support groups or helpful organizations. You may even get treatment if needed.

If you’re an adult who already has started to drink, your providers can assess your family background and your current drinking pattern. They can tell you if you need to cut back and how to go about it.