It's not clear why some people abuse alcohol or become addicted to it and others do not. Alcoholism often runs in families (genetic), but your drinking habits also are influenced by your environment and life situations, such as friends or stress levels.

Just because you have a family history of alcohol problems doesn't mean you'll have a drinking problem. A child of a parent with alcoholism will not always develop alcoholism. And a person with no family history of alcoholism can become alcohol-dependent. See the What Increases Your Risk section for more information.