It seems that when we look at history of mankind that alcoholism is passed on through the generations making scientists speculate that there are genetics involved. Many studies have shown that many alcoholics also had fathers or mothers who were alcoholics.
While alcoholism may be a mainly caused by environmental factors, there is a clear link between genetics and alcoholism. Identical twins, for example, have more of a likelihood of both becoming alcoholics than fraternal twins indicating that more than environment is involved with alcoholism.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to identify which genes may influence whether someone has a greater chance of becoming an alcoholic. Recent breakthroughs in genetics have identified many genes which cause diseases such as cancer and diabetes. It is hoped that this breakthrough will allow for scientific proof that genetics is a factor in alcoholism and eventually lead to gene therapy for treating alcoholism.
Even if your parents are not alcoholics but your grandparents were, statistics show that you have a greater chance of becoming an alcoholic because of the genetic factor.