Genetic Alcohol

I'm interested in why people become addicted to alcohol because many members of my family are alcoholics, my father being one of them. Because he is a direct relation, I found it most fascinating that biological influences can be one of the causes for alcoholism.

In an article about alcoholism and heredity, I found that those born to an alcoholic parent are more prone to alcohol abuse, but that does not necessarily mean that the child will grow up to be an alcoholic. That depends on whether the child starts drinking excessively or not. Also, children not born to alcoholic parents can become alcoholics themselves.
The main theme seemed to revolve around nature and nurture. Social influences can lead to drinking. Those that are more genetically susceptible to alcohol abuse will live a life of drinking if they fall into that social trap.

I have never taken a drink, knowingly, of alcohol in my life, mainly because of my father. I don't have any intention of ending up like him, or any of the other alcoholics in my family. In my opinion, they all live miserable lives. But now, knowing that I am more prone to alcohol abuse, I'm more against drinking than I was before.