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Is Alcohol Putting Your Teen at Risk?
By Staff Writer
Drinking alcohol before age 21 is illegal – but that hasn’t stopped American teenagers from experimenting with and even becoming dependent upon alcohol long before their 21st birthdays. Alcohol is the most used and abused substance by teens, with the average boy taking his first drink at 11 years old and the average girl at 13 years old. By age 14, 41 percent of children have had at least one drink.
Even though alcohol use among teens may be considered “normal” teen behavior, teen drinking has its consequences, some of which can be severe and long-lasting.
The Health Effects of Teen Alcohol Use
Although teens are resilient in many ways, research shows their bodies don’t recover easily from alcohol use. Adolescents need only drink half as much as adults to suffer the same negative effects on their minds and bodies.
Important developmental changes are still taking place in the brain during adolescence and into a person’s early 20s. Alcohol use during this time can disrupt normal brain development in the prefrontal area and hippocampus, diminishing a teen’s ability to learn, recall information, make good decisions, plan for the future, and control urges.
Some adolescents who drink have elevated liver enzymes, indicating possible liver damage, and hormonal imbalances that may affect normal development of organs, muscles, and bones, the onset of puberty, and the maturation of the reproductive system.
Greater Risk of Alcoholism in Adulthood
Behaviors adopted during adolescence have long-term ramifications. Though some negative behaviors can be outgrown, teen drinkers are significantly more likely to have drinking problems as adults, resulting in potential relationship, employment, financial, and legal troubles.
Research shows that the younger a person starts drinking, the greater the odds he will become an alcoholic later in life. Teens who start drinking before the age of 15 are four times more likely to meet the criteria for alcohol dependence some time in their lives. As a result, alcoholism is becoming an issue for teens and young adults, not just middle-age adults.
There are well-established benefits to waiting to experiment with alcohol until later in life. For each year that a person delays using alcohol, the risk of later alcohol dependence is reduced by 14 percent.
Most teens don’t have just one or two drinks to relax and unwind. They drink to get drunk.
Binge drinking, often defined as consuming four or five drinks at one time, tends to increase during adolescence, peak in young adulthood, and then gradually decrease. According to data from the 2005 Monitoring the Future study, an annual survey of U.S. youth, 11 percent of 8th graders, 22 percent of 10th graders, and 29 percent of 12th graders had engaged binge drinking within the past two weeks.
Those who binge drink as teenagers are significantly more likely to become heavy drinkers as adults. In a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, teens who had been binge drinkers at the age of 16 were 60% more likely to be dependent on alcohol and 70% more likely to regularly drink heavily than those who had not been binge drinkers at the age of 16. They were also 40% more likely to use illegal drugs and have mental health problems, 60% more likely to be homeless, four times as likely to have been excluded from school, and ran nearly double the risk of criminal convictions.
Drinking and Driving
Adolescents aren’t exactly known for their good judgment, even without the influence of drugs or alcohol. Combine still-developing brains with alcohol and you’re likely to see a number of risky behaviors, including drunk driving.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), alcohol is a factor in approximately 41% of all deaths from motor vehicle crashes. Each year, almost 2,000 people under the age of 21 die in car crashes in which underage drinking is involved.
Alcohol, Depression, and Suicide
Alcohol is a depressant, meaning it can mask or exacerbate conditions like depression and anxiety. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among teens and young adults 15 to 24 years of age, with government statistics showing that alcohol contributes to an estimated 300 teen suicides a year.
A study in the journal Pediatrics shows that teens who begin drinking at a young age are three times more likely than non-drinking teens to attempt suicide. Other research has shown that high school students who drink are twice as likely to have seriously considered attempting suicide, and those who binge drink are four times as likely to have attempted suicide, as compared to non-drinkers.
Risky Sexual Behaviors
When teens are under the influence of alcohol, they are more likely to engage in risky sexual activities, such as having unprotected sex or having sex with a stranger. They are also more vulnerable to sexual assault and experiences they will likely regret when sober. Research shows teen drinkers are more than twice as likely to have had sexual intercourse within the past three months as teens who don't drink.
Poor Academic Performance
The effects of alcohol last beyond the short-term “high” experienced after having a few drinks. The next day, teens often have trouble concentrating in class, establishing positive relationships with teachers and counselors, and performing well on tests and assignments because they are tired or hung over.
These effects translate into lower grades and an increased likelihood of being removed from school or dropping out. A 2007 government study showed that roughly two-thirds of students with “mostly A’s” were non-drinkers, while nearly half of the students with “mostly D’s and F’s” reported binge drinking.
Parents’ Influence on Teen Drinking
For years, research has shown the strong influence parents have on their teen’s decision to use alcohol or other drugs. A recent study in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs suggested that teens who were warned about alcohol and had a close relationship with their parents were more likely to start drinking at a later age, reducing their risk of problem drinking.
Teens are most protected when they feel that they can discuss issues like drugs and alcohol with their parents, knowing their parents will respond with respect and appropriate monitoring and discipline. Parents who don’t set rules around drug or alcohol use or avoid talking with their teens about their problems convey the message that substance abuse and other risky behaviors will be tolerated.
Treatment for Teen Alcohol Abuse
Parents don’t have to go it alone in their efforts to educate and help teens struggling with alcohol use and abuse. A number of substance abuse treatment programs specialize in helping teens and young adults get and stay sober.
Wilderness therapy programs like Four Circles Recovery Center in North Carolina, which treats young adults with substance abuse issues, and Passages To Recovery in Utah, which treats young men struggling with drug or alcohol abuse, are short-term, high-impact interventions designed with the specific needs and interests of young people in mind.
Some residential substance abuse treatment programs for adolescents also have an excellent track record in rehabilitating teens. Echo Malibu, an innovative residential treatment program for adolescents in Malibu, California, offers cutting-edge drug and alcohol treatment for teens in an environment that is supportive and empowering for both adolescents and their parents.
SunHawk Academy is another popular program for substance abusing teens that offers long-term drug treatment as well as accredited academics, family workshops, and life skills training for about the same cost as a 30- to 45-day primary drug rehab.
Lots of teens and adults use and abuse alcohol – but don’t let the widespread nature of the problem lull you into a false sense of security. Alcohol use during adolescence is a serious issue that can affect your teen’s emotional and physical health, academic performance, relationships, and chances of success in the future. Parents can make a real difference – talk to your teen today and get help while you still have a strong influence in your child’s life.