For teenagers, drinking alcohol is a significant part of social interactions and the teenagers’ development. The first drinking experience typically occurs during adolescence. Drinking alcohol is one of the first things teenagers learn and can be considered as an introductory activity to adult life. Some teenagers, particularly those who attended college take up this habit after they graduated. Drinking alcohol can be at times, simply an enjoyable pastime for teenagers, but in some cases teenagers drink because they are stressed out or depressed that leads to teenage alcoholism.
Alcohol is considered as a depressant that slows down vital functions of the body like breathing and heart rate. At high concentrations, it causes unconsciousness and even death. Drinking too much alcohol can cause teenagers to pass out or worse, die because of respiratory depression or choking on vomit while unconscious. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), teenagers who drink are more likely to engage in delinquent acts like criminal activities, violence, vandalism, school problems and other improper sexual behaviors like unprotected sex that may lead teenagers into teenage pregnancy.
Teenagers who drink also tend to experience poor academic outcomes including poor grades, dropping out of school and lack of motivation. It is important for teenagers to understand that drinking alcohol is not only dangerous but it could alter the course of their lives forever. Any amount of drinking should be considered as any other drug intake that affects teenagers physically and psychologically. Understanding teenagers’ drinking can be just as difficult because teenagers are prone to lying about drinking alcohol, whether it’s by saying that they don’t drink or they drink occasionally.
Apart from teenagers who lie about their drinking habits, teenagers often fail to understand the laws and regulations on underage drinking. This makes teenagers’ drinking a dangerous activity not only for them but everyone around them because of possible violent behaviors against anyone who may confront teenagers when they’re drunk. Drinking alcohol also has a wide range of negative effects ranging from teenage intoxication to teenage alcoholism. Teenagers should be educated about this in order for them to make better decisions in life.
Teen drinking is a major problem among teenagers. Teenagers have been drinking alcohol for many years now, but teenagers now are starting to drink at much younger ages than those in the past. In fact, teenagers as young as twelve or thirteen years old are now beginning to experiment with alcohol and other substances. The statistics of teenage drinking clearly show that teenagers’ behaviors have changed drastically over the years.
For example, in 1991 teenagers between 12-17 were nearly 16% of all binge drinkers. By 2003 teenagers between 12-25 were roughly 21% of all binge drinkers (NIAAA 1). The older teenagers getting drunk multiple times a month has become a main priority for health professionals because teenagers who begin drinking before they turn 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence later in life, according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).
The teenagers are also likely to experience other health risks such as car accidents caused by drinking, sexual assault, or even death because teenagers are not fully developed physically or emotionally. The social acceptance of teenage drinking has increased over the years because teenagers all around the world have seen adults drinking alcohol at numerous events and believe that it is an acceptable behavior.
According to the Center for Disease Control’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report teen alcohol consumption has “risen gradually” since 1991. Researchers have found out that teenagers often do not realize how much alcohol can affect their bodies until they begin drinking themselves. Some teenagers who drink find themselves addicted because their bodies are unable to handle the large amount of alcohol in their system. However, teenagers who drink often do not realize the serious consequences that can occur if they continue drinking.
According to The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) teenagers who continue drinking for many years end up developing an alcohol use disorder which includes alcohol abuse and alcoholism. Drinking at young ages can cause teenagers’ brains to develop abnormally because teenagers’ brains are still growing and learning new things every day (Hayes 1). Teenagers who do not let their brain grow properly will cause teenagers to have lower IQ’s, trouble with learning or comprehending information, lack of self-control, etc.
Cigarette smoking also has a negative impact on teenagers and teenagers who smoke are even more likely to drink alcohol (Hayes 1). Teenagers can take advantage of many different resources in order to avoid drinking alcohol. There are numerous organizations dedicated to helping teenagers make the right decisions when it comes to alcohol such as SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions), MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), NIAAA, and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
According to Teenrehabs. org teenagers can seek help from therapists, psychologists, counselors, psychiatrists, interventionists, social workers; there are also support groups for teenagers recovering from alcoholism or drug abuse at local hospitals. There are also other extracurricular activities teenagers could participate in that would allow teenagers to make friends, have fun, and stay sober such as animals clubs, book clubs, theater groups, sports teams, etc. (Hayes 6).
Young teenagers are the highest in their section of alcohol consumers in that age. There is an increasing number teenagers who drink, according to a study done by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). The data look for teenagers between 12-20 years old. There was an increase from 5 million in 2002 to 6 million teenagers in 2010 who reported drinking within the month they were surveyed. Most teenagers will start with alcohol at 15.5 years old, when they enter high school. 7% of 10th graders admitted to being drunk within two weeks of being surveyed.
