Teenage Alcohol Abuse - What To Look For
Teenagers are under a lot of peer pressure both in their personal lives and at school. Often this will lead to teenage alcohol abuse because they feel the alcohol gives them courage to do things they normally would not do. Often the parents don’t find out about the alcohol use until the teenager is arrested or involved in an accident. There are some things you can watch for that might indicate teenage alcohol abuse but keep in mind that there might be other problems which also are going on.
If your teen suddenly exhibits any of these signs they would merit watching. You can’t automatically assume that they are using alcohol or drugs just because they suddenly change in personality. There could also be depression or some other serious problem going on that needs to be checked out. Below are some things to watch for that might indicate some type of problem.
* Suddenly using abusive language or showing signs of physical abuse
* Lying about what they are doing
* Spending a lot of money or selling personal items
* Shirking their responsibilities such as cleaning their room
* Eating considerably less or more
* Staying out after their curfew
* Losing interest in their grades and school
* Showing disrespect for authority figures
These are just a few signs that might indicate a problem with teenage alcohol abuse but not necessarily all of the signs. If your teenager suddenly shows any of these signs it deserves to be looked into before serious damage is done.
Why Teenagers Drink
Many teenagers who begin drinking will do so because they see it at home. If one or both parents drink the teenager thinks it is an accepted practice. If there are marital problems in the home the teenager may feel led to drink to help dull the pain of a miserable home life. Others take that first drink because their friends talk them into it. Once they see how alcohol makes them feel, many of them like the feeling and will try it many more times. This is one of the things that lead them into teenage alcohol abuse.
One of the biggest causes of teenage alcohol abuse is peer pressure they face in school. Many of their friends will dare them to try alcohol just one time or they might even ridicule them because they will not drink alcohol. Teens want to fit in with the in crowd and taking a drink may raise their self esteem once they have shown they can handle it with no problem.
The best way to avoid teenage alcohol abuse is to educate them at a very early age and continue that education throughout their teen years. Show them what alcohol can do to people’s lives. Take them to a jail and let them visit some of the inmates who are there for DUI. This might provide enough of a scare tactic to make them think twice before they take that first drink.
