Stop Drinking Alcohol by Recovery Princess » Teens and Drinking

Alcohol and Young People…Every Parent Should Read This

Madison — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 16:00:17 +0000

An article in The Los Angeles Times discusses the importance of a parents role when it comes to enforcing rules about drug and alcohol use. I believe it is detrimental, especially so because of the fact that ” A child who starts drinking before age 15 has a 50% chance of becoming alcoholic; the risk falls to 9% for those who wait until they’re 21″.

I began drinking as a teen and so did many of the people I associated with. I can honestly say that most of those people including myself grew up seriously abusing alcohol and some are alcoholics. Drinking alcohol also leads to drug use and poor decision making skills in general. It also numbs the natural progression of adolescence and seriously interferes with ones personality. Drinking before 21 is just a no no in my book. If parents can not enforce a no drinking rule before 21 because of their own drinking habits then they only have themselves to blame for any problems that their child will encounter.

So much of the research these days is showing with absolute certainty that alcohol affects every one differently based on their brain chemistry, so it stands to reason that some of the teens who try alcohol will be more likely to enjoy the effects of alcohol but be unable to say no going forward. They will be more likely to use alcohol for the wrong reasons and have a harder time keeping their consumption under control. Parents should be mindful of the facts about the effects of alcohol on a young brain and therefore protect their child against it. Educating parents on teens and drinking is essential.

Here is the article from the Los Angeles Times – “Parents: Kill a buzz, save a life” by Valerie Ulene

Failing to set no-use rules for alcohol and drugs, or assuming teens will be fine without guidance, is to risk tragedy.

My 14-year-old daughter insists that she’s never experimented with alcohol or drugs. The statistics tell me that I’ll be lucky if she can say that for very long — or at least say it and have it be true.

Drug use among teens is pervasive. Nearly 45% of teenagers in grades 9 through 12 drink alcohol, and more than 25% of them binge drink, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance. Further, 1 in 3 teens has smoked marijuana, and 1 in 5 has abused prescription medication, according to a recent survey by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America.

With numbers like these, parents of teens can almost be certain that their children won’t make it to 21 without tossing back a cocktail, smoking a little pot or trying to get high on cough syrup.

Parents’ role in preventing or at least delaying this type of experimentation has been clearly spelled out by the experts: Adults should not only talk openly with their children about the dangers of drugs and alcohol but also articulate and enforce very clear “no use” rules. Such rules have been shown to greatly reduce the likelihood that teens will use drugs and alcohol. (And the logical assumption is that they’re then less likely to get wasted, be involved in an alcohol-related car accident, etc.)

However, many parents can’t seem to bring themselves to impose such rules.

“I recommend that parents tell their children that they expect they will not drink until age 21 and that they’ll never use drugs,” says Dr. John Knight, director of the Center for Substance Abuse Research at Children’s Hospital Boston. “If parents set the bar lower, they risk tragedy.”

He recommends that parents not give in to the data.

“I know what the statistics on teen drug use are,” Knight says. “But that doesn’t mean that kids should be given permission to do it.”

To some parents, no-use policies seem draconian and the mind-set behind them simplistic.

They assume experimentation is inevitable and that no-use policies are doomed to fail. Further, some simply don’t see drug use as a major issue.

“Currently, 61% of parents tried drugs or alcohol while they were kids,” says Steve Pasierb, director of the Partnership for a Drug-Free America. Those who never got into too much trouble because of such use often view their children’s use as relatively harmless experimentation.

Adolescents need increasing amounts of freedom and independence, and buckling down on them feels counter intuitive to some parents. They take the position that teens learn best from their own mistakes and that strict rules won’t teach them to make good decisions over the long haul.

Some parents fear that no-use rules will undermine their relationship with their child. They worry that their kids will stop communicating openly with them, making them less likely to reach out for help if they do get into a bind. For instance, rather than call Mom or Dad for a ride home after a beer or two, they fear, teens might try to drive themselves in an attempt to stay out of trouble.

Other parents are concerned about the way no-use rules will affect their kids’ friendships with peers.

“There’s a lot of concern about popularity,” Knight says. “If parents don’t let their kids drink, they think they won’t be popular.”

But no-use rules work. In a recent survey, the Partnership for a Drug-Free America asked teens about their use of drugs and alcohol on prom night. Among kids whose parents forbid them to drink or do drugs, only 16% did so anyway; among kids who received no clear directives, use topped 45%.

Preventing kids from drinking and taking drugs is critical. Compared with adults, teens are twice as likely to engage in risky binge drinking. Alcohol also has a different effect on their brains, making them particularly dangerous drunks. While adults tend to get sleepy after a drink or two, teens get revved up. They’re far more likely than older people to climb behind the wheel of a car or take a chance performing a risky stunt

“As many as 40% to 50% of deaths among teenagers are alcohol- and drug-related,” Knight points out.

But perhaps the most compelling reason to keep kids drug-free is that it reduces their chances of addiction. The earlier teens start drinking or using drugs, the greater the likelihood that they’ll develop an addictive disorder later in life. A child who starts drinking before age 15 has a 50% chance of becoming alcoholic; the risk falls to 9% for those who wait until they’re 21.

Although teens want to be perceived as independent and in control of their lives, they’re still looking for guidance and direction from their parents.

“They complain bitterly when you set limits but are actually grateful for them,” Knight says.

That doesn’t mean they won’t slip up, and parents need to build some flexibility into the rules for when it happens. The Contract for Life developed by SADD serves as an excellent example of how this can be done. Children pledge their best effort to stay drug- and alcohol-free and promise that they’ll call for help if they’re ever in a situation that threatens their safety; at the same time, parents pledge to provide safe transportation home and promise to remain calm and understanding should a dangerous situation ever arise. (The Contract for Life is available online at www.sadd.org/contract.htm.)

At this point, my daughter quietly abides by our household rules on drugs and alcohol. However, I have little doubt that there will come a time when she’ll roll her eyes in disgust or storm out of the room when my husband and I revisit the topic. She’s a teenager, and that’s simply what she’s supposed to do.

But we’re her parents, and we have a job to do too. We need to keep her safe. She has a lifetime to enjoy wine, beer and spirits, but she has to survive her adolescence first.

Ulene is a board-certified specialist in preventive medicine practicing in Los Angeles. The M.D. appears once a month.

Click here to see the full article

Signs That Your Teen Is Binge Drinking

Madison — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 03:42:29 +0000

(OzarksFirst.com)
Springfield, MO — Here’s a scary statistic. A recent survey of local colleges found that more than one third of kids under 21 have engaged in binge drinking in the past two weeks.

Recently, a 16 year old teen who died from alcohol poisoning. Other teens say underage drinking is an issue for every student.

“I’ve had friends that have gotten in trouble for it, even I’ve gotten in trouble for it, ” said High School Senior David Knight. Knight said underage drinking is an issue students are facing at a younger age than parents might think.

Knight said he was 13 when he was first offered a drink. He says the problems start because kids get pressure from their friends.

Click here to read more….

Younger Brains Tricked By Alcohol

Madison — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 21:06:03 +0000

(The Sydney Morning Herald)
TEENAGERS who drink heavily can associate bad experiences such as vomiting and car accidents with pleasure, according to a US expert on alcohol abuse.

Aaron White, a health administrator with the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, said neurological processes, that were originally designed to ensure human survival, were put off course by alcohol.

Dr White, a psychologist, was speaking yesterday at a conference organised by Drinkwise, a research group funded by the Australian Government and the liquor industry.

Alcohol, along with other drugs, induced the release of the neuro-transmitter dopamine. The younger the consumer of alcohol, the more likely the habit of drinking would become entrenched, he said.

Experiences while drinking, such as vomiting and car accidents, can be associated with the pleasurable feeling that dopamine induced. “The brain is tricked into thinking those things are positive because it felt good … Pleasure increases the odds that this rewarded behaviour will be repeated.”

Click here for more….

Al-Anon and Alateen

Madison — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 03:11:15 +0000

Alcoholism affects many people not just the alcoholic. Mothers, Fathers, Sisters, Brothers, Aunts, Uncles and Friends.

If you are affected by an alcoholic in your life then there is support for you too.

This website provides information for relatives and friends of alcoholics. If you need help with looking after an alcoholic then take a look at Al-Anon and Alateen.

Another resource I came across is The Partnership – for a drug free America. This website is packed with useful information about substance abuse that will be a godsend to any parent.

Teens And Drinking – Useful Resources

Madison — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 20:46:55 +0000

There is a wealth of information for those with questions and concerns about teenage drinking.

Here are a list of some websites that do a good job of covering the issue of teenage drinking. I will be adding to this list so please check back often.

Drinking: It can spin your world around: Facts for Teens – FamilyDoctor.org

Dangers of Teen Drinking – Dontserveteens.gov

Alcohol and Teen Drinking – Focusas.com

Teens and Drinking – Coolnurse.com

The Partnership – For A Drug Free America – http://www.drugfree.org/Intervention/

If you have any resources that you would like to add, feel free to add them in the comments.

Thank you for visiting “Recovery Princess; Quit Drinking and Enjoy Sobriety”

Teens And Drinking

Madison — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 20:24:32 +0000

Teens and drinking is a very familiar subject to me, it was in my teenage years that I first began drinking alcohol.

I am writing about the subject of alcohol and young people for a few reasons. Firstly, I began drinking as a teenager so I know plenty about it. Secondly, I want to share my story with teenagers who may come across this website or family members who have questions or concerns about a teenager with alcohol problems in their own family.

There are many resources available to help provide you with information about teens and drinking. In this series of posts about alcohol and young people I will give you some resources that you will find helpful.

Experimenting with alcohol is a regular past time for experimental teenagers, but the problems that can stem from this kind of experimenting with alcohol during these precious years of youth can have lifelong negative effects.

I began binge drinking in my teenage years along with a bunch of friends that I used to hang out with. We would spend most of Friday and Saturday nights binge drinking and doing crazy things.

It seems unreal that I was able to get away with this from such an early age but I did and so did many of my teenage friends at the time.

I remember the warm and fuzzy feeling that used to come over me as I took the first few sips of alcohol. I loved the way it made me feel. Drinking alcohol quickly diminished the typical shyness I felt and replaced it with confidence.

My teenage years soon became all about partying and binge drinking whenever the opportunity arose. Teenagers and alcohol went hand in hand when I was growing up and it felt perfectly normal.

Eventually, the act of drinking alcohol was not as fun as it used to be. I was not just drinking with my teenage friends; I was drinking alone.

As I progressed through my teenage years, I used alcohol as a coping mechanism to help me deal with everyday life. I used alcohol to deal with all kinds of issues ranging from arguments with my parents, friends and boyfriends to dealing with low self esteem and lack of confidence. Drinking alcohol through my teenage years was my solution to every problem or issue that I was confronted with. I knew that I had crossed a line at some point and developed a very bad drinking habit but I had no idea how to turn back the clock or what to do about it. It had become my way of life.

My story is one of many. Millions of adults now suffer from alcoholism or alcohol abuse which has stemmed from binge drinking as a teenager.

Please leave your comments, questions or personal story of teenage drinking.

You can sign up for the email subscription (in the left column) to read more in this series and for resources that will provide you with valuable information.

Thank you for visiting “Recovery Princess; Quit Drinking and Enjoy Sobriety”