What Influences Teenagers to Drink Alcohol?

Teenagers experience a number of physical and emotional changes before adulthood because of their still-developing bodies and minds, along with increases in hormone production. During this time, alcohol consumption can affect development and lead to irreversible organ damage. There are many reasons that teens may turn to alcohol and once they begin drinking, it may be difficult for them to stop.

  1. The Media

    • The media plays a role in influencing many of today's youth. Movies or music that depicts drinking as a fun activity may lead teens to be curious and begin experimenting with underage drinking. It is important for parents to explain the dangers of alcohol and teen drinking if they know that their child is interested in movies or music that discuss it.

    Peer Pressure

    • Peer pressure and friends who drink are often the reason many teens first try alcohol. They may wish to fit in with their friends or they might drink because everyone else is doing it, even if they didn't want to drink in the first place. Although it is impossible to control who your teen is friends with, having them hang out with friends in your home can help to reduce the chances that they will behave in risky behavior such as drinking.

    Emotional Issues

    • Emotional problems may cause teenagers to drink as a way to escape their feelings. Emotional issues are a normal part of being a teen, but sometimes they are caused by serious mood disorders such as depression and anxiety. Parents must be alert to their teen's feelings and look for signs of serious underlying issues so that they can help her to get treatment if she needs it, before she tries out self-medicating with drugs and alcohol.

    Poor Decision Making

    • The brain is still developing during the teen years, meaning that many teens still have poor decision making skills. This alone can make drinking appear to be a harmless activity, along with the bad choices that go with underage drinking. Teenagers should be properly educated on the effects that alcohol has on a still-developing mind and body, and warned about possible dangerous outcomes that drinking can lead to, such as impaired driving and unprotected sex.

    Parental Influence

    • Occasionally, parental influence plays a role in a teenager's drinking. If parents drink regularly, their children are more likely to believe that it is a normal behavior and wish to fit in with other family members. Teens may also be influenced to drink if their home life is unpleasant or abusive.

    Addiction

    • If a teenager has been drinking with friends for a while, addiction is likely to play a role in his drinking. After consuming alcohol on a long-term basis, the body builds a tolerance leading to the need for more alcohol to get the same effects. The more alcohol that is consumed regularly, the more likely that the body will become dependent on it. At that point, treatment may be necessary to help the teen realize his addiction and get help.

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