| Could your teenager be an alcoholic? Absolutely, | | | | teenagers and more than half of those binge drinkers |
| alcoholism in teenagers is a real problem that is often | | | | go to alcohol abuse and eventually become alcoholics. |
| ignored by parents. Teens today drink. In fact nearly | | | | Even more shocking is the fact that it can take a |
| 60% of all teenagers today have admitted to drinking. | | | | teenager les than a year to reach the stage of an |
| Can these same teens let their drinking get out of | | | | alcoholic that suffers from delirium tremors and |
| control? Yes they can, in fact the younger teens start | | | | blackouts. For adults, to reach this point in their |
| drinking, the higher the chances of developing | | | | alcoholism can take years. |
| alcoholism they have. Many of us are under the | | | | So what can we as parents do to help keep our teen |
| assumption that alcoholism is an "adult disease". Many | | | | on the right path? My first instinct is to never let my |
| alcoholics started drinking heavily in college or even in | | | | kids leave the house. If they are kept in the house they |
| high school. | | | | will not be exposed to the opportunities to take that |
| Why do teens drink? There are many reasons and | | | | first drink. Alas, though this is not only irrational thinking it |
| most of them are not that smart. Teens drink to fit in. | | | | is also impossible to do. What we as parents can do, is |
| This is perhaps the number one reason for teenage | | | | be on the look out for warning signs. |
| drinking. Teens want to fit in with other teens. Peer | | | | For starters we as parents can stop writing off slurred |
| Pressure is tough. Remember when you were a teen | | | | speech and alcohol related fights as "normal teenage |
| and how important it was to fit in? Another reason | | | | behavior". I know that most teens do experiment with |
| why teens drink is that they like the way it makes | | | | alcohol and even get drunk, I know I did it as a teen. |
| them feel. We all know that alcohol for some of us | | | | However the first time I came home drunk I was given |
| makes us more relaxed and can put us in a euphoric | | | | what my parent "one free pass". My first offensive |
| state. Can you imagine being a teenager and having | | | | was passed off as normal teen behavior. However it |
| that feeling? | | | | was made clear to me that if I ever did it again, there |
| Another reason why teens may drink often is | | | | would be a heavy price to pay. If your child is |
| because they become addicted to it easier than an | | | | continually coming home drunk, that is not normal |
| adult would. This is because the regions of the brain | | | | teenage behavior. |
| that control impulse and motivation have yet to fully | | | | Take notice of where you teens are hanging out. If |
| formed. It is much easier for them to become | | | | they are hanging out at homes where there are no |
| dependent on alcohol especially when they can not | | | | parents and with kids who have a bad reputation, |
| control it yet. Add that to the fact that the more teens | | | | chances are they are up to no good. You can tell |
| binge drink, the more alcohol it is going to take them to | | | | when they come home if they have been drinking also. |
| experience the same feeling and you have a recipe | | | | Their breath always smells like mouthwash and they |
| for disaster. The more alcohol they drink, the more | | | | may always have bloodshot eyes. |
| their body is going to crave it and then the disease | | | | Our teenagers today are our future. It is our job as |
| begin. Most binge drinkers out there today are | | | | parents is to protect that future. |