Alcohol Abuse Among Teens

It was Friday night, Brad and his friends were just beginning to binge drink before their high school football game. Brad wanted impress his friends so he consumed ten beers before they left to root on their team. When Brad and his buddies arrived at the football game it was obvious that Brad had a lot to drink. When he sat down beside his friends he ended up passing out on the stands for a period of time. With his peers not knowing what to do they got help by a nearby parent. The parent was very concerned and she immediately notified the paramedics. Brad was diagnosed with alcohol poisoning and had to have his stomach pumped.

Teen alcohol abuse is becoming more prevalent among teenagers in the United States today. According to one internet source, "At least 8 million American teenagers use alcohol every week, and almost half a million go on a weekly binge (or 5 drinks in a row)--confirming earlier surveys by the National Institute on drug abuse" *http://jlc-co.com/essay/ab.htm*. With so many teenagers abusing alcohol today it increases the risk of dangerous consequences to the family, community, and themselves.

Teenagers resort to alcohol for a number of reasons. "According to the U.S. Surgeon General, more than half of junior and senior high school students drink alcoholic beverages. More than 40% of those who drink admit to drinking when upset; 31% to drinking alone; 25% to drinking when bored; and 25% to drink in order to "get high"" *wysiwg://36/http://www.healthatoz.com/atoz/Teen/talcohol.asp*. The most common reason why teenagers drink is because of peer pressure. When a teenager attends a party the most common thing to do is drink. In order for teenagers to fit in with their peers they feel like they must consume alcohol.

The consequences that arrive from teenagers consuming alcohol are astounding. Alcohol leads to date rape, fights, poor grades, bad judgment, alcoholism, and its been linked to the use of more dangerous drugs. According to one internet source, "A clear relationship exists between alcohol use and grade point average among college students: students with GPAs of Ds or Fs drink three times as much as those who earn As. (South Illinois University survey, 1992). People who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcoholism than those who begin at 21" *wysiwyg://36/http://www.healthatoz.com/atoz/Teen/talcohol.asp*. With statistics like this no wonder why alcohol abuse among teens brings along such dangerous consequences.

It's fairly easy to recognize the warning signs of alcohol abuse. Besides from obvious reasons, stumbling home drunk or waking up with a headache, there are many more signs. Most teenagers become moody, loose interest, and they become more withdrawn. They also borrow and spend more money and change eating and sleeping habits. Although these signs are tough to distinguish you should pay special attention to them if they last for more than a couple of days.

There are many ways to prevent teenagers from consuming alcohol. There are numerous centers such as Alcoholic Anonymous. Alcoholic Anonymous has helped thousands of teenagers overcome their addiction to alcohol. Besides from organizations it is important for parents to be an active role model in their teenager's life. Parents need to sit down with their kids and consult with them on topics such as alcohol on a regular basis. The law also helps steer teenagers away from consuming alcohol. With stricter laws against consumption and procession of alcohol by teens it may help aid them in their decision not to drink. With so many teenagers consuming alcohol today it is important for these various organizations and families to come together to prevent teens from drinking.

In conclusion, alcohol is a major influence in a teenager's life today. According to one internet source, "Approximately 8% of the nations eighth graders, 22% of tenth graders, and 34% of twelfth graders have been drunk during the last month" *wysiwg://36/http://www.healthatoz.com/atoz/Teen/talcohol.asp*. Many people and organizations must come together in order to reduce alcohol consumption by teens. The constant threat of underage drinking poses a threat, not only to themselves, but the families and communities in which we live in.

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