I have read that there are research findings that ADD is more common in families where previous generations had members who abused alcohol. In my parents' generation, on both sides of the family, everyone was an alcoholic or married to an alcoholic, and, of no surprise, my ex-husband is an alcoholic and my daughter has ADD.
I'm wondering how many of you have family histories where alcohol abuse was a problem?

my late father was an alcoholic, as was my late mother-in-law. my husband certainly drinks quite heavily at times (borderline alcoholic?). my daughter is ADD - inattentive as am I. Makes ya go "hmmmmmmm".

I denfinetly have some of that in the faimily, My mothers father, My father and my childrens father, are all alcholics. I'm not sure where the coralation lies, but like all addictions, it's a desire for that dopamine. We are constantly searching for anything to turn on those receptors, and so were they. They just found their switch in a liquor bottle. It will be interesting to see how this poll tilts.

Both of my grandfathers were alcoholics. One of my brothers had trouble with alcohol and the other two had trouble with drugs. I have heard the term dry drunk applied to people like my parents. My mother never drank. My father rarely drank because he was afraid of the wrath of my mother, but both of them were pretty out of control. I once described some of parents' behaviors to a therapist and she said: "Are you absolutely certain you parents weren't alcoholics?" Well I guess I would know. I was there. I have the emotional bruises (the physical ones healed up) to prove that people can be sober and absolutely vengefully bizarre beyond reason. What can I say? They paid it forward.

My Dad's a dry drunk and all three of his brothers died of the drink. I drank like a fish for several years but got beyond that somehow.
ian

Yes...Alcohol and depression wend their way thru both my maternal and paternal families...as well as my husband's families.

i think my maternal grandfather's father was a drinker, (back then they didn't call 'em alcoholics) too. i think both sides of my kids' family tree is littered with folks who hit the bottle a little too heavily.

its intresting, seeing where this poll is leaning--
my father was a very active alcoholic, sobered up a few years before he died.
his father was kind of a mean alcoholic, & from what ive heard from my grandma most of his family was.
my mothers uncle died drunk, but her father rarely touched alcohol. my sister leans towards the better living thru chemistry & has her own demons to deal with.
i was going the way of my mothers uncle (well, ill be a mothers uncle?:eek: ) & gratefully, have been given the gift of soberity.

I visited a qualified psychic medium a few years ago. He asked me where the alcohol came into play in my family. My response was everywhere.

I wonder if the drinkers also had ADD and used the alcohol or drugs to self medicate? Just a thought.

I wonder if the drinkers also had ADD and used the alcohol or drugs to self medicate? Just a thought.
hay, i knew there was something i forgot--talking about this to my p-dr, i had told him that then it was a craving to shut up the committe (my brain) because otherwise i felt i would go crazy from all the thoughts; besides my own physical craving. i would go along with you on that one, emwell

i know my uncle is, or close.

and it runs all over on my dad's side of the family.
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personally, i quit drinking a while back, not much desire to drink at the time... figure i would quit while ahead.

oddly, im of age and i dont drink, my sister is underage and drinks much more.

Pretty much all of my family are chronic alcohol consumers.

My parents dont drink, and if their parents did, it wasn't excessivly.

I was told that some people with ADD drink alot because it's a form of self-medication. It's there way of calming themselves down. The Doc that told me this sounded like he knew what he was talking about. They do drugs for the same reason. Except they do coke/speed cause that drug makes them clearer.

My grandfather was an alcoholic and judging by what my mother and grandmother told me about him I think he had ADD too.

I myself have been prone to stimulants and alcohol for the most of my adolescent years.

Its all pretty obvious if you look at the big picture, dont you think?

my grandparents were both alcoholics. ive always believed they were self-medicating. before i got the diagnosis that changed my life, i was headed down the same road.

My father and uncle are severe alcoholics. I personally think my ADHD came from him and alcohol is his form of self-medication. My sister, before medication, was headed down the same path. I went down the chemical route, until a week stay at a hospital several years ago wised me up.

my dads a class-a-junkie, on everything and enything, i was like that for a bit, though never as bad as he is. Im certain that hes not gona be around much longer because of it and he isnt old anough to die of old age, no where close. It scares me because im now the other side of the world to him and which of his "friends" would have the guts to call me and tell me i need to bury him. I can think of one and even he is a "just mabey". It scares the s__t out of me every time i think about it. He is ADhD as well. He dosent use self-medication as an excusse. He dosent have any excusses left, and most of the time he isnt in a state to care. I guess alot of it is to do with self-medicating and the addict attitude thing for many though, at least till it gets out of controll.

I am sorry to say but my fathers side of the family is where the alcoholism comes in play for my family..:( My father was an active acoholic till I was 11yrs old..It was a glorious day whe he quit and went to AA for almost 8 years.. Peace at last..almost...he was "dry drunk" in between there and it was awful...just as bad.When I left home at age 17..to join military my father went back to the bottle~ My father's parents never drew a "sober breath" My grandmother froze to death from alcohol abuse after my grandfather ran the car in ditch going home on February 3, 1959, in a snow storm. My grandfather went to get help and my grandmother got out and started to walk and when they got back to car she was gone.froze to death.:( All of my father's siblings are alcoholics to this day. Even the death of their beloved mother never stopped them. My father died a premature death at age 60 because of alcohol....It definately goes without saying that their is an obvious link between alcohol and ADHD. My brother has not been dxed but no brainer.. he abuses alcohol and drugs desperately..and has spent over 2/3 of his young 40 yr old life behind prison bars. Now myself ..I have never abused alcohol and I was just recently dxed ADHD- Nov '04, my 2 sons--oldest 21- ADHD(dxed in 6th grade) This son has abused alcohol and is a "recovering alcoholic" as of May 10,2004- His father and grandfather on father's side and my Dad's side were generation alcoholics.. youngest son is 16-ADD inattentive..(dxed 5th grade.) No alcohol abuse yet by this son....Don't know about his Dad's side of family but defiantely on my side the whole family is alcoholics.:(

Pretty intersting thread..ty for bringing it to our attention.