The pattern of alcohol use that is exhibited by many adolescents is one of drinking too much and at too early an age, thereby creating problems for themselves, for people around them, and for society as a whole. Underage drinkers consume, on average, four to five drinks per occasion approximately six times per month. By comparison, teenage alcoholism older adult drinkers, ages 26 and older, consume, on average, two to three drinks per occasion approximately nine times per month. A particularly worrisome trend is the high prevalence of heavy episodic or binge drinking in adolescents, which is defined often as five or more drinks in a row in a single episode.
Warning Signs of Underage Drinking
Things can change quickly in a teenager’s life, so keep making the time to talk about what’s going on with them, keep asking questions, and keep setting a good example for responsible alcohol use. The physical and hormonal changes can create emotional ups and downs as kids struggle to assert their independence and establish their own identities. According to United States government statistics, by age 15, nearly 30% of kids have had at least one drink, and by age 18, that figure leaps to almost 60%.
Family History of AUD
Talk to your child about what’s going on in their life and any issues that may have prompted their alcohol use. Teenagers often feel invincible—that nothing bad will ever happen to them—so preaching about the long-term health dangers of underage drinking may fail to discourage them from using alcohol. Instead, talk to your teen about the effects drinking can have on their appearance—bad breath, bad skin, and weight gain from all the empty calories and carbs. You can also talk about how drinking makes people do embarrassing things, like peeing themselves or throwing up.
Immediate Effects of Alcohol on the Brain and Behavior
Family issues to address include parent–child interactions and maladaptive family problem solving, which often involve avoidance of issues and conflict. Families experiencing marital discord, financial strains, social isolation, and disrupted family rituals (such as meal times, holidays, and vacations) also increase an adolescent’s risk of problem alcohol use. Adolescents are particularly at risk if parents are either excessively permissive or punitive, or if parents offer little praise or seem persistently neglectful of the adolescent. A teenager’s drinking habits may reflect the drinking habits of the adults around them.
Public Health
- Interestingly, a number of studies examining this issue in otherwise healthy adolescents and adults have not found hypoglycemia to be more common in patients presenting with acute alcohol intoxication.
- Some research indicates that psychiatric medications like lithium (Lithobid), fluoxetine (Prozac), and sertraline (Zoloft) may be useful in decreasing alcohol use in teens who have another mental health disorder in addition to alcohol abuse.
- These results demonstrated pronounced alcohol cue reactivity in heavy drinking teens, particularly in reaction to alcohol advertising materials.
That’s an awful lot of youth who could be changing their brains — and their lives — forever. Sian Ferguson is a freelance health and cannabis writer based in Cape Town, South Africa. She’s passionate about empowering readers to take care of their mental and physical health through science-based, empathetically delivered information. This talk may be a challenging but necessary first step in getting your teen the help they need.
External Risk Factors for Teen Alcohol Abuse
