What To Do About Teenage Drinking

Underage or teenage drinking has been an alarming problem in the country. According to the statistics presented by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, about 24.6% of teenagers aged 14 to 16 admitted that they have, at the very least, sipped alcohol.

The NIAA has identified binge drinking as the phenomenon that explains why adolescents consume more alcohol despite drinking less often than adults. In the same statistics, the NIAAA also presented the difference in binge drinking habits between male and female adolescents.

Historically, the male population has been the focus of studies about teens and alcohol; statistics often show men drink more than women. In recent years, it seems the roles have been reversed. More adolescent girls are prone to teenage drinking and becoming alcoholics than teenage boys, as presented in the same statistics.

Probable Reasons Why Teenagers Drink Alcohol

Adolescence is a challenging period in life; during these years, most individuals experience a lot of internal and external pressure. Teenagers consider this stage similar to limbo while actively demanding respect and independence from adults.

Acute and immediate consequences of teens drinking alcohol can include injury or death. Some of the cumulative and varied effects of a long-term drinking pattern include poor school performance, broken relationships, and alcohol addiction. Despite this, teenagers view drinking as a challenge. Here are the common reasons why teens drink.

Risk-Taking

The brain continues to develop well into its twenties, according to research. During this time, it establishes crucial communication links and refines its functions. This development period may be the reason for some of the behaviors that are characteristic of adolescence, such as their tendency to seek out new and potentially hazardous situations.

Some teens might experiment with alcohol in their thrill-seeking pursuits. Teens drinking alcohol and other impulsive behaviors might also result from the physiological changes they experience.

Peer Pressure and Expectancies

How people perceive alcohol and its effects can influence their drinking habits. Adolescents who view drinking as desirable or cool are more likely to drink than those who do not.
During the teenage years, adolescents often face their first societal pressure in the form of their peers. Social acceptance is highly important in this stage of life, and this is one of the main reasons behind substance abuse.

Mental Health Issues

Teenagers who are aggressive, disruptive, or hyperactive are at greater risk of alcohol problems than their peers who are depressed or withdrawn.

Another problem associated with alcohol abuse is rebelliousness, inability to avoid harm or dangerous situations, and many other characteristics seen in young people who are unafraid of rules or disregard other people’s feelings.

Hereditary Factors

Genetics may play a role in some factors affecting behavior and physiological risk to a person’s likelihood of developing alcohol problems. A person is more at risk if they are the child of an alcoholic or have several alcoholic relatives.

Children of alcoholics (COAs) are more likely to become alcoholics than those who are not. They are also more likely to start drinking young and develop drinking problems later in life.

Risks of Underage Drinking

Teenage drinking is dangerous, especially without adult supervision. Although an adolescent’s body is relatively young and can recuperate faster, continuous and irresponsible alcohol consumption can bring a lot of risks.

The consequences of teenage drinking include:

Brain Damage

The human brain does not stop developing until an individual reaches adulthood; the damage alcohol inflicts on a teenage brain will not be apparent until they become adults. However, frequent teenage drinking may lead to impaired judgment, memory loss, and interference with brain development.

Poor performance in school is one of the telltale signs an adolescent is facing problems, becoming more apparent once they engage in binge drinking.

Pregnancy and Sexual Assault

An increased risk of being the victim of or perpetrator of interpersonal violence is associated with binge drinking by minors. Aside from that, teenage girls who are highly active in binge drinking have a higher chance of getting pregnant as a result of poor decision-making from both parties.

Injuries and Death

Being irresponsible and the lack of proper judgment while under the influence of alcohol often result in dire consequences. According to the NIAAA, alcohol has a huge effect on the deaths of people under the age of 21.

Accidents and injuries due to drunk driving are rampant in teenagers. Aside from drunk driving, adolescents under the influence of alcohol are also reportedly meeting their demise through drowning and being victims of violent crimes.

Legal Problems

Activities done under the influence of alcohol may lead a teenage individual to trouble with the law. Drunk driving and violence are serious offenses that may land them in juvenile detention.

Signs That Your Teenager Is Drinking

For most parents, the adolescence stage can be quite a ride. Dealing with a teenager’s mood swings and rebellion against authority figures can make a parent wary of their activities. Parents may notice telltale signs if their teenagers are experimenting with different substances – especially alcohol.

Here are some of the signs of teenage drinking:

Attitude Problems

Changes in attitudes and frequent mood swings may be common during adolescence. However, when a teenager is under the influence of any substance – in this case, alcohol – you can spot the erratic behavior. Bouts of anger, irritability, and defensiveness are common attitude problems teenagers exhibit when experimenting with substances.

Physical Signs

Aside from attitude problems, there will always be signs in a teenager’s physical appearance that they are drinking. For instance, the reddening of the eyes and the unmistakable scent of alcohol are surefire ways to tell that they are, indeed, under the influence. Teens and alcohol are not meant to be together. Be mindful of where you hide your liquor or don’t consume any at all.

School Troubles

When a teen is failing their academics, it is often a sign of trouble ahead. Usually, when teens are under the influence of a substance, they fail to deliver their schoolwork, cut classes, and are often sent to detention.

How to Intervene?

As a parent, it’s sometimes hard to look at a teenager and see them as growing adults dealing with valid issues instead of children. If you have confirmed that your teenager is underage drinking and consuming other substances, it is best to prevent the situation from worsening or getting out of hand.

Here are some ways to intervene and how to handle teenage drinking:

Communicate Effectively

Teenagers grow up and see their parents as authority figures – someone who makes the rules and suffocates them. This myopic and subjective view is quite common among adolescents, which is why communicating with them is quite a challenge. However, it is always important to make your child feel safe as parents.

It is paramount that parents communicate with their teenagers without the judgment and blame game. This will make them feel and realize that they are loved and always welcome. Avoid making punishments for teenagers; it will only worsen the situation.

Seek Professional Help

Rehabilitation can help your adolescent get back on track and be clean from alcohol again. There are readily-accessible rehabilitation centers across the country that charge minimum service fees and encourage teenagers to develop hobbies and interests that will distract them from the temptation of dangerous substances.

Haven House Recovery Center Can Help with Alcohol Addiction

Haven House Recovery Center is a recognized recovery center that can help teenagers get rid of underage drinking in their addiction recovery center in Santa Rosa Beach, FL.
HHRC follows the 12-step program to help men detoxify and get back to their health.