In their book “Teenagers and Alcohol,” psychologist Roger E. Vogler and Wayne R. Bartz stated that 52 percent of teens in America, 12 to 17 years old, report having consumed alcohol.
Junior and senior high school students consume about 1.1 billion cans of beer each year.
Moreover, majority of car accidents and other teen assault incidents are related to alcohol.
Are you one of these underage drinkers? What do you gain from drinking? Popularity? Temporary happiness? The sense of belonging in a group?
Read on to find out why drinking alcohol is not for you.
Alcoholism
According to Hayley R. Mitchell in her book “Teen Alcoholism,” unlike adults who often drink for social purposes, teenagers drink to get drunk without thinking of the potential addictive effects of alcohol.
She said some teens occasionally drink in order to lose their inhibitions.
Does this sound like you? Do you want to drink because of these problems?
Mitchell said the effects of the alcohol give temporary relief to the stress felt by teens such as depression and problems in school and family.
Most of the teens, she added, thought that drinking alcohol can ease their minds or can temporarily relieve tension.
But the effects of alcohol are temporary and will not solve problems.
Irresponsible reasons for drinking
• It feels good
• It tastes good
• It relaxes
• It alters mental and emotional state (and helps forget bad feelings at least for awhile)
Reasons not to drink
• Long-term health risk
• It’s against the law
• Alcohol puts you at the risks of driving under the influence
• Alcohol reduces emotional control
• You still need to address your problem once the effect of alcohol is gone.
• It’s a waste of money
• It puts you at risk of impulsive and unprotected sex
• It is a drug that you might get addicted.
You may also want to consider what alcohol can do to the body.
Studies show that Fetal Alcohol Syndrome can occur to unborn babies of teen pregnant women who drink alcohol even in moderate amounts.
The syndrome results in a variety of physical and mental disabilities among babies.
According to the American Liver Foundation, alcohol can cause liver diseases such as hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, fatty liver and also weight related problems.
Hepatitis is a disease caused by the inflammation of the liver while in liver cirrhosis normal liver tissue is replaced with scar tissue.
Cirrhosis is the most complicated and most serious among alcohol-induced liver disease.
Between 10 and 20 percent of heavy drinkers develop cirrhosis.
Vogler and Bartz encourage teens to practice saying “No” not only to drinking alcohol but also to bad habits such as smoking.
They said having to say no often can help you refuse temptation comfortably without a great deal of thought.
Parenting
Parents play a great role in a child’s development.
Studies show that alcoholic parents tend to have alcoholic teen kids as well.
As parents, you might find it frustrating to see your children grow up as alcoholic adults.
But Vogler and Bartz said parents can help their teens deal with alcohol-pushers and alcohol by not overreacting.
They recommend the following tips:
• Be a model. Your children have been watching you since they were born. If you are a non-drinker, they too may likely be a non-drinker.
• Teach them the effects of alcohol. What kids believe alcohol will do for them influences their decision to drink. If they are knowledgeable about the risks they will face in using alcohol, they will most likely not be inclined in using alcohol.
• Explore your family’s drinking history. A history of serious drinking problems within a family suggests a significant risk factor for young people in that family. Starting the conversation with your teens with a family history helps you ease into the alcohol topic by talking about relatives outside your immediate family.
• Drink watch. Ask your kids to observe the consequences faced by drinkers. Asked them to talk about the changes that take place in a person’s behavior when drunk.
• Work out a drunk-driving agreement. Find out what the law on DUI is and talk about it with your teen. Talk about the DUI accidents that happen in our place as well as the victims. Show them a movie and pictures about DUI car crashes.
• Negotiate family rules and be open to your kids. Have an open communication with your children. Know where they are, who they are with and be interested in their hang outs. Knowing your child’s circle of friends will help you track down your child’s activities.
Being a parent is a hard job. But it is important for parents to also understand their child’s feelings. As the saying goes, “been there, done that.”
Meanwhile, as teenagers, you must talk to your parents about alcohol. If you are an abusive drinker, do not hesitate to ask for help. The Community and Guidance Center offers counseling services for people with alcohol problems. For questions and inquiries, call 323-6560.
