TPC-Journal-V2-Issue1

46 The Professional Counselor \Volume 2, Issue 1 parents and abusing alcohol. Additional information about family dynamics where twins grew up, such as divorce, financial instability, or chaos in the family was not included in the research with twins (Clarke et al., 2010; Wang et al., 2011). Peele (1986) emphasized that the genetic model has “dangerous consequences” because it appears to deny the human complexity involved in substance abuse, and because it may prevent counselors from digging deep into the core issues of addiction with their clients (p. 63). Peele is supported by other scholars who believe ACoAs are modeling substance abuse behavior rather than having a genetic composition for alcoholism (Braitman, 2009). Moreover, Dodes (2002) concedes that although some genes may “influence the susceptibility to developing alcoholism” (p. 81), it is not realistic to believe that one single gene or even a group of genes would have the power to produce one single specific behavior such as alcohol addiction or dependence. Dodes explains that genes are a sequence of DNA (molecules), but DNA not only contains additional information that is non-genetic, but DNA also controls whether genes are activated or not. The non-genetic factors in the DNA may include variables such as individual experiences, coping strategies, family environment and emotions. Even if a genetic predisposition is in place, that predisposition is not likely to materialize without the significant influence of the environment (Dodes, 2002). In agreement with Peele (1986), Ross and Hill (2001, 2004) and Ross and McDuff (2008) divert from the genetic model, and instead lean toward the psychological models which focus on the learned maladaptive patterns of behavior. Other approaches include neurobiological models which attribute alcohol abuse as the result of the person’s brain functions (Heitzeg et al., 2010). Once the memory circuit makes an association between a substance and pleasure, addicts quickly learn to repeat the process to obtain a relief from their negative feelings such as loss, depression, anxiety and anger (Heitzeg et al., 2010). Some models overlap with each other, but all of them attempt to explain the substance abuse phenomenon. Conclusion The evidence presented herewith may carry some important implications for how addiction counselors may want to approach their treatment plan with those suffering from alcohol addiction or dependence. This paper argues that many addiction programs have failed to meet the needs of those suffering from substance abuse because the problem may not be the substance per se , but the consequences of growing up with maladaptive coping strategies that might have served to survive in a chaotic environment, but are no longer efficient. This paper claims that those suffering from addiction are able to continue their addiction likely because they have enablers in their household who are either consciously or unconsciously supporting the addiction. Addiction counselors may wish to consider involving those in the family who may be deriving a secondary gain from the addict’s addictive behavior. Both the person with addictions and the person supporting the addictions may be getting a payoff—a possible distraction to a traumatic childhood experience based on a chaotic environment. References Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment and loss: Vol.1, Attachment . New York, NY: Basic Books. Braitman, A., Kelley, M., Ladage, J., Schroeder, V., Gumienny, L., Morrow, J., & Klostermann, K. (2009). Alcohol and drug use among college student adult children of alcoholics. Journal of Alcohol and Drug Education , 53 (10), 69–88. Clarke, T., Dempster, E., Docherty, S., Desrivieres, S., Lourdsamy, A., Wodarz, N., Ridinger, M., Maier, W., Rietschel, M., & Schumann, G. (2010). Multiple polymorphisms in genes of the adrenergic stress system confer vulnerability to alcohol abuse. Addiction Biology , 17 , 202–208. Dodes, L. (2002). The heart of addiction . New York, NY: Harper-Collins. Grüber, E., Celan, J., Golik- Grüber, V., Agius, M., & Murphy, S. (2007). The relationship between having smoking or drinking parents and the occurrence of smoking or drinking in their adolescent children. Alcoholism , 43 (1), 25–35. Heitzeg, M., Nigg, J., Yau, W., Zucker, R., & Zubieta, J. (2010). Striatal dysfunction marks preexisting risk and medial prefrontal dysfunction is related to problem drinking in children of alcoholics. Biological Psychiatry , 68 (3), 287–295.