We all agree that teenage drinking is a problem that never seems to go away. Most of the concerns about teens and alcohol are centered around their safety, whether behind the wheel or out at a party. But what about the long-term problem of alcoholism?<\/p>\n
Can teenage drinking lead to a lifetime of addiction?<\/strong><\/p>\n Sure, we worry about our teens and underage drinking. But what impact can early drinking have on your teen\u2019s future? Alcoholism can have a devastating effect on the lives of everyone it touches \u2014 and rob your child of dreams for the future. We wondered if teens who drink were more likely to struggle with alcoholism down the road.<\/p>\n Who\u2019s drinking?<\/strong><\/p>\n Nearly 26 percent of Americans aged 12 to 20 reported that they currently consume alcohol, according to a 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The rate of underage drinking increases with age within this range. In a study out of George Mason University, teens reported that it has become the norm for teens to get together for the sole purpose of drinking alcohol. Teens also said that drinking alcohol can be a way of dealing with stress. Obtaining alcohol is easy for teens, and they reported that they usually drink whatever alcohol is available.<\/p>\n Alcoholism, or alcohol abuse?<\/strong><\/p>\n According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), young people who start drinking before the age of 15 years are five times more likely to develop alcohol dependence or abuse later in life than those who do not begin drinking until they have reached legal drinking age (21 years old). What begins as alcohol abuse \u2014 binge drinking, for example \u2014 can turn into a dependency on alcohol (alcoholism) down the road. What constitutes alcohol abuse? The CDC describes alcohol abuse as an unhealthy pattern of drinking that results in harm to one\u2019s health, interpersonal relationships or ability to work, including: * Failure to fulfill major responsibilities at work, school or home * Drinking in dangerous situations, such as drinking while driving * Legal problems related to alcohol, like physical altercations or drunk driving * Ongoing relationship problems that are caused or worsened by drinking Patterns of alcohol abuse can lead to a dependency on alcohol \u2014 also known as alcohol addiction or alcoholism \u2014 which is marked by strong cravings for alcohol, the inability to limit drinking and continuing to drink despite warnings and interpersonal problems. Teens who have abused alcohol for several years are potentially on the path of alcoholism.<\/p>\n What\u2019s the problem?<\/strong><\/p>\n Dr. Suzana Flores is a clinical psychologist in private practice who treats both adults and teens. \u201cAlcohol and drug use is a common issue with teens, but in therapy I focus more on why they are choosing to drink to excess,\u201d she says.\u00a0 “People who start drinking heavily as teenagers will likely show signs of irresponsibility in relationships, finances and career.”<\/p>\n There is the usual peer pressure and following the crowd, or problems at home or with friends \u2014 and teens will often self-medicate with alcohol. Even if teens are drinking purely for recreational purposes, there will still be long-term emotional effects. \u201cFor example, when someone starts drinking heavily \u2014 let’s say around the age of 15 or so \u2014 and maintains this pattern of drinking over time, psychologically, they can remain \u2018stuck\u2019 at that maturity level for their entire lives,\u201d she shares. \u201cTheir decision-making will likely be impulsive and without forethought. They can get into destructive relationships and live their life based on short-term wants without being able to think in terms of long-term consequences,\u201d Dr. Flores says. \u201cFor this reason, people who start drinking heavily as teenagers will likely show signs of irresponsibility in relationships, finances and career,\u201d she adds. The damage done by abusing alcohol at an early age is tough to reverse, and teens may be left with a bleak future unless they can break free from their addiction.<\/p>\n Talk \u2014 then talk some more <\/strong><\/p>\n Some parents have difficulty with talking to their kids about the dangers of alcohol. Whether you are afraid your teenage past will come back to bite you, or you just don\u2019t know what to say, it\u2019s important that you keep a conversation going about alcohol \u2014 all through their teen years. A full 83 percent of youth surveyed reported that their parents are the leading influence in their decision not to drink alcohol. The good news is that parents are talking to their kids more than ever about underage drinking and the dangers it poses. Almost half of parents report they have spoken with their 10- to 18-year-old at least four times in the past year about the dangers of underage drinking. Teens and alcohol can be a dangerous combination \u2014 now, and over the long term. Keep talking to your teens, know their friends, monitor their activities and stay involved. Your involvement and support may be the most important influence in your teen\u2019s life.<\/p>\n Source:\u00a0 www.sheknows.com\u00a0 27th September 2013<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We all agree that teenage drinking is a problem that never seems to go away. Most of the concerns about teens and alcohol are centered around their safety, whether behind the wheel or out at a party. But what about the long-term problem of alcoholism? Can teenage drinking lead to a lifetime of addiction? Sure, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9072","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-parents"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9072","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9072"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9072\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9072"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9072"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9072"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}