Drinking Alcohol and Teenagers

Alcohol is a mind altering drug unlike the others. It is the most widely acceptable and available drug on the planet.

Teenagers drink for many reasons.

• Peer pressure
• To Escape
• An attempt to feel older
• Rebellion

Every year older a teenager gets, the more likely they will drink. It is unrealistic to believe that your teen will be able to avoid alcohol during Junior High and High School.

It is extremely important that teenagers know the truth about this drug and that they are given tools to help them avoid all the problems that are associated with it.

The brain isn’t fully developed until approximately age 25. People under that age are still growing and they aren’t able to predict the consequences caused by different drugs. Alcohol is damaging to the developing brain and it can destroy confidence and normal social development. Parents and loved ones owe it to the teenagers in their lives to help prevent drinking during the teen years anyway they can.

The mystery of the forbidden beverage makes it more appealing than ever. Drinking during the teenage years is dangerous for many reasons.

Teen's face the possibility of:

• Alcohol poisoning
• Being arrested
• Car accidents Getting in a fight
• Being sexually assaulted, and many more

There is a lot of lying, sneaking around and guilt when teenagers drink. That alone will cause major problems in the home and isolate the teen from their parents and family. Teenagers frequently feel misunderstood and frustrated during those confusing years and alcohol just widens the gap. This causes them to feel even more alone and inevitably creates another reason to drink more alcohol. The cycle begins. Those are just the effects of things that can happen as a result of drinking alcohol.

Alcohol alone carries numerous life altering affects that will follow kids throughout the rest of their lives. Teenage drinkers are more likely to become alcoholics as adults and their maturity is halted at the point that they start using. It’s called Arrested Development and it makes all of the normal challenges and situations that people face, almost impossible for the user to handle.

For example, if someone starts drinking alcohol at age 14, their maturity and responsibility level stays there until they completely quit drinking. When that same person is 18 years old and expected to handle college or paying their own bills, they can’t do it. This lack of maturity and skills is frustrating to the user so they drink more to escape.

It is a destructive and hurtful cycle for everyone involved.

Take them to an AA meeting or a SMART (Self-Management and Recovery Training) meeting which are held in person in some US states or online anywhere.

The stories they hear and the people they meet at these meetings allow young users to get a rare peek into what their future may hold. It is common for teens to have the attitude that they are invincible and that bad things can’t happen to them but even the most stubborn teen will be affected by this exposure on some level.

The impact might not show at first but, that is an experience that can’t be forgotten and it will always be in their mind for them to refer to when they need it.

Show teens an alternative to drinking. When there is a beach party on Friday night and you know from experience that alcohol will be flowing like water, say NO but offer an alternative plan.

Suggest taking your teen and their friends to their favorite place to eat and then an indoor rock climbing wall, midnight bowling, or go-cart racing and then get Henna tattoos. How about going to the batting cages then out to a local sports restaurant to see who in the group can handle the hottest wings? There are many possibilities when you get creative!

You might miss out on some sleep and a few dollars but your teen will be safe and you will have taught them that alcohol isn’t necessary to have a great time with friends. If they don’t want you to go with them, give them a gift card to where ever you decide they can go.

Do not hand them a bunch of cash and the car keys. That is too much temptation for even the most responsible kid.

When your teenager goes out with friends, make sure someone is up to greet them when they get home.

This serves two purposes, they know they are important enough that someone cares that they got home safe, and it will be obvious if they were drinking or using other drugs while they were gone.

When they know that they will have to face someone at home, it will make them think twice before succumbing to the peer pressure. Teenagers don’t always express it very well but, your opinion and approval has a huge influence over there decisions.

Introduce yourself to your teen’s teachers at the beginning of each school year and whenever they get a new class schedule.

It only takes a moment to send off an email or leave a voice mail. Simply let the teacher know who you are and let them know that if you can help them and your child succeed, that they can call you anytime. This will let the teacher know that you are an involved parent who cares about your child’s schooling and wellbeing.

This small gesture will increase the chances that the teacher will contact you if they notice any change in your teen’s behavior, attitude toward school or themselves, grades dropping, or new friendships with the kids who are known to drink or use other drugs.

Teachers often know more about what kids are up to than the parents do. They know which kids are friends with whom, which kids are dating each other and they know which kids are drinking alcohol.

The old saying, “It takes a village to raise a child” still applies. Often they spend more hours in a day with your teen than you do. Teachers and school administrators are a wonderful asset to you for keeping your child safe.

Don’t allow substance abuse around your teenager. If you or another adult in the home has a substance abuse problem take care of it as soon as possible. This is an extremely difficult subject and an even more difficult disease.

It can’t be stressed enough how damaging it is for a teenager to be raised with an alcoholic or other substance abuser in the same house. Adults often tell themselves that kids don’t realize what’s going on or, that it doesn’t affect them because they don’t pay attention anyway. There will always be a million justifications people give themselves to behave poorly but, they simply aren’t true.

Children know more and see more than anyone likes to admit. These experiences will change who they are forever. If there is an adult in the home who is drinking or using drugs they need to go as soon as possible.

If anyone is struggling with alcohol or drug addiction get help immediately! They need it, the child needs it, and the whole family deserves it.

In short, alcohol is everywhere and teenagers have a very difficult time resisting the temptation of this dangerous drug.

It is certainly in their best interest that they avoid it as much as possible until they are old enough and mature enough to make an informed decision about what is right for them.

Until that time comes, it is the responsibility of the adults who love them to do everything in their power to try to protect them.

All kids deserve the right to grow and develop naturally and without life altering effects following them for the rest of their lives.