According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), alcohol is the most commonly used substance among teens in the United States. This could be because most have access to it in their homes from their parents, fake IDs, or the sheer availability of alcoholic beverages in the United States.As a parent, it may be difficult to recognize the symptoms of teenage alcohol abuse, and you may be unaware of the dangers it can lead to. Educating yourself on the subject can help you protect your family and allow you to have honest conversations with your loved ones.
Statistics from the CDC show that underage drinking is a viral problem. For example, according to the Youth Risk Behavior Survey conducted in 2017, high schoolers in the past 30 days had:
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health in 2018 found that 19% of teens ages 12 to 20 drink alcohol. 12% admitted to drinking alcohol in the past 30 days. The Monitoring the Future Survey found in 2019 that 8% of eighth-graders and 30% of twelfth graders drank in the past 30 days. 4% of eighth-graders and 14% of twelfth graders binge drank in those 30 days.According to studies done by the CDC, binge drinking has caused over 4,300 deaths in underage teens every year. This is because underage drinkers typically drink more during each drinking session than their adult counterparts. In fact, 119,000 of emergency room visits by underage teens in 2013 were for incidents related to alcohol.Underage drinkers have been found to consume 11% of alcohol in the United States, with 90% of that consumption being binge drinking.
There is a multitude of negative impacts that underage drinking has on teenagers’ lives. Many are related to school, development, health, and social relationships. This list is by no means exhaustive but gives a good insight into what can happen when teens drink heavily and irresponsibly.
It is possible to spot the signs of alcoholism in your teen. Some risk factors may make them more likely to use alcohol, while others are simply environmental or choices made by the person.
If any of these criteria fit your child, consider having an open and honest conversation with them concerning alcohol consumption.
On top of the warning signs, you should also pay attention to any physical symptoms your child may be displaying due to their alcohol use. These may include:
One of the main reasons teens use alcohol is that it is readily available to them. Many are able to easily obtain it from friends or family members or have it available to them in their own house. Another major reason is peer pressure, which causes teens to make decisions based on the encouragement and pressure from peers. They may also just want to fit in with their friends who are drinking.Alleviating symptoms of stress is also a common reason for underage alcohol consumption; stress can push them to enjoy alcohol. Some may also have grown up around those using alcohol and have learned the behavior from those individuals.
The best thing you can do for your child when you find out they are consuming alcohol underage is to educate yourself on teen alcoholism and ways to prevent and treat it. You can discuss the dangers of alcohol with your children frequently, and make sure you are drinking responsibly yourself. Teenage alcoholism is unfortunately a major national health crisis, but it can be minimized with proper education and open, honest communication between parents and their children. To learn more about teenage alcohol abuse and how to prevent it, contact Northstar Transitions at (303) 558-6400.