Karen you raise some good points in your thread, I want everyone to know that Alcoholism is a disease like any other, and it is genetic, infact the child of an alcoholic parent is at a much greater risk, however that does not necessarily mean he/she will become one.

I strongly believe you can still become dependant on alcohol, as with any other addiction, so genes donot always play a part in it, I know this may sound a little contradictory, but I hope you can understand where I am coming with this one.

For example my mother had an alcoholic father, she choose never ever to touch the stuff, and never has, however had she drank, would she be an alcoholic? who know's?, however her fathers drinking was part of a more sinister hereditary disease,not known about at the time.

I know most people depise Alcoholics, mainly because of the pain and suffering and disruption they cause to their families,and the innocent lives they take, I have no time for drunk driver's myself and say throw the book at them, however it is something they cannot control, unless they have help and even then its not always helpful, there is no cure, only abstinance for life, and like any other addiction that is not always easy.

Being bitter and angry all my life, would only hurt myself in the end, I still don't like what alcohol does to people, and what it did to my life and my son's, but one has to move on., and be at peace with one self.

I have been on the other end, the one suffering because of Alcoholism, I have been through programmes with my ex-partner, I have seen him on anti-buse a drug, that if you drink you become so sick you need to be hospitalised, I have had all the counseling, and although it was a terrible time in my life, I can still feel for him and how this awful drug affected him, to this day I often wander if he is free of this infliction.

I have had to wonder if my son has inherited this gene, or was he just going throught that faze of drinking binges like all other young people, I have had my serious doubts, however I am relieved to say, my son hardly drinks now, just on occasions, and he does still drink a little too much, but no more than any of his other friends, and he does NOT drink and drive.