Alcoholism runs in my family. Alcoholism changed my life and made me realize the brutal effects one drink can have on you. The saying, “Having one can lead to many” is a very true statement in my eyes. It does depend on the person but from what I’ve seen and experienced it couldn’t be truer. Why do we drink? There are many reasons behind that simple but complex question. Why do we force poison down our throats to points where we become belligerent, sick, or even dead. Don’t think that family history is an excuse to drink though. If you see you’re past coming up to haunt you get help because history can repeat itself.

Many behaviors can result from drinking. Everyone is different when drinking and so are their personalities. My dad was an alcoholic. He started heavily drinking in his twenties and this lasted over 20 years. He raised me and taught me to be strong and to drink responsibly. We all have our weaknesses but my dad was a hypocrite. I would never call my dad a hypocrite to his face but one day changed my mind. When I was about 12 years old, my parents got into an argument, which blew up into something that has scarred me forever. I lost trust in my dad for a while but eventually gained it back.

We can change this stereotype of children taking after their parents. I am living proof. According to Kansas State University’s Counseling Services http://www.k-state.edu/counseling/topics/relationships/dysfunc.html   “Children of alcoholics are at much higher risk for developing alcoholism than are children of non-alcoholics.”

They are at higher risk but emphasis on “higher” so it is not definite. It is understandable to why children take after their parents because they raise them but as the child grows up they can make their own decisions. Some teens do not want to take after their parents for reasons such as bad decisions, career paths or substance abuse. My sister and I have our own minds and do not want to be like our parents for those reasons. Since alcoholism runs in our family it is not in our genetics according to CRC Health Group http://www.crchealth.com/find-a-treatment-center/alcohol-substance-abuse-treatment-programs/alcoholic_rehab/substance-abuse-articles/parents-drink-influence-teens/, “Studies of identical twins show that although there is a genetic component to alcoholism and drug abuse, genetics does not trump environment. You can have a genetic predisposition for alcoholism or drug abuse, but environmental factors have to come into play for it to develop.” Entering college as a freshman this year I have found many people who have overcome their parent’s poor decision-making and influence. Many of these teens did not want to be like their parents and rather succeed than drink, do drugs and continue their education. We as the next generation can prove our parents wrong. We can be proud of ourselves and raise our children to be strong and set an example. It is time for our generation to not fall under the spell of alcoholism.