Alcoholism often seems to run in families, and we may hear about scientific studies of an “alcoholism gene."

A study in Sweden followed alcohol use in twins who were adopted as children and reared apart. The incidence of alcoholism was slightly higher among people who were exposed to alcoholism only through their adoptive families. However, it was dramatically higher among the twins whose biological fathers were alcoholics, regardless of the presence of alcoholism in their adoptive families.

There is a growing body of scientific evidence that alcoholism has a genetic component, but the actual gene that may cause it has yet to be identified. During my years of research into this emotional disorder, I believe that brain chemistry plays an integral part in inheriting the alcoholic gene. 95% of my alcohol dependent patients have come from alcoholic backgrounds and only 5% with no apparent inherited gene. There are other components including environmental factors.

Dopamine is sometimes called the ‘the reward chemical’ and the neurotransmitter responsible for contributing to the alcoholic gene. It is one of the primary neurotransmitters found in the brain which is responsible for happiness, satisfaction and other pleasant emotions.  It is essential for the normal functioning of the central nervous system. Dopamine provides feelings of enjoyment and reinforcement that motivate a person proactively to ‘feel good.'

In a healthy person, Dopamine and other neurotransmitters ‘cascade’ like water flowing over a dam and into a pool then onto another pool or a waterfall. One neurotransmitter flows into an area of the brain and triggers release of another neurotransmitter. The flow begins with Serotonin when it is released in the hypothalamus area of the brain; Enkephalins are released and initiate the transmission of GABA, which acts like a traffic cop.

GABA is important as it fine tunes the release of Dopamine. GABA allows just enough Dopamine to be released to provide reward, comfort and pleasure from ordinary activities and a degree of calming to fight off unwanted stress. People who suffer from ‘reward deficiency’ cannot cope with the accompanying angst, agitation and emotional pain. Their brains are unable to produce enough Dopamine, Serotonin, Norepinephrine and Endorphins.

When levels of these ‘feel good’ chemicals are low or blocked from the brain’s receptors, stress, emotional pain, agitation and even predisposition to physical pain are the result. To provide temporary relief, people with low Dopamine levels self-medicate with alcohol, illicit drugs, prescription drugs, junk foods, sugars, carbs, caffeine, nicotine and other stimulants which ultimately leads to poor sleeping patterns and further depresses their Dopamine levels.

Exposure to prolonged periods of stress and alcohol or other substances can also lead to a corruption of the ‘cascade function.’ Some people with low Dopamine levels do not self-medicate with alcohol and drugs, but become clinically depressed and anxious. These behaviours bring with them the possibility of more long-term consequences like liver disease.

Why do people drink? They are not satisfied with life and have great difficulty accepting life on life’s terms.  Alcohol is only a symptom of an underlying problem.  Putting down the drink is the easy part but leaving it on the table is near impossible.

Most people, when seeking counselling for alcohol addiction, are not provided with this information and are generally told to stop drinking and go to AA. That is not always conducive to people who do not like to stand up in front of a crowd of people and announce to the world that they are an alcoholic.  They feel intimidated and are not ready to share their feelings to a group of strangers. There are emotionally safer ways to stop drinking and stay stopped.

What can be done?  Help is only a phone call away. With the assistance of supplements, counselling, exercise and good nutrition, alcoholism can be put into remission, but never cured. Total abstinence is required to start the journey of recovery followed by counselling.

The brain chemistry must be functional. When it comes to feeling mentally and emotionally switched on, we have to have the correct brain chemistry – get it wrong and you will never achieve the feeling of wellbeing that you crave. The alcoholic has a predisposition to a depleted dopamine neurotransmitter – the centre of satisfaction in the brain. What can we do about it?

Tyrosine Pure Mood Food is necessary for the manufacture of dopamine and noradrenaline, which are required for concentration, alertness, memory and a happy stable mood. GABA is required to monitor dopamine levels. Magnesium is the great relaxer and is assists in the reduction of stress, nervous tension, anxiety and sleeplessness. LiveTone Plus supports liver function and metabolism and supports phase 1 and phase 2 detoxification pathways, ensuring optimum detoxification of many toxic substances, including alcohol.   L-Glutamine, which can be found in our Ultimate Gut Health Powder, helps to reduce cravings and is excellent in helping the liver to heal.