Alcoholism is an illness that consumes entire families.
Because the feelings, thoughts and actions of everyone in the family are affected by the alcoholic's drinking, it is often called a family disease. Family members cannot control the alcoholic's drinking but they can control how it affects their own lives. It is a disease that develops slowly and often it takes years before a family may seek help. Alcoholism is hereditary and certain people have a genetic predisposition to alcoholism. A lcoholics often give reasons or excuses for continuing to drink and blame others for their drinking.