Teens and Alcohol

Source: National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center,
http://www.safeyouth.org/scripts/teens/alcohol.asp

Introduction
Drinking among teenagers is a serious problem in the United States. Alcohol is the most commonly used drug among teens.

A recent survey of students found that:

• 52% of eighth graders (and 80% of high-school seniors) have used alcohol at some time;
• 25% of eighth graders (and 62% of high-school seniors) have been drunk.[1]
• Even though it is illegal for teens to drink, most say that it is easy to get alcohol.
• 71% of eighth graders and 95% of high-school seniors say that it would be easy to get alcohol if they wanted some.[2]

Although many teenagers try alcohol, most teens do not get drunk on a regular basis.
Only 8% of eighth graders (and 32% of high-school seniors) say they have been drunk in the past month.[3]

Most teens disapprove of frequent heavy drinking.
81% of eighth graders and 65% of high-school seniors say they disapprove of drinking heavily once or twice each weekend.[4 ]

Teens often underestimate the risk that drinking can pose.
In a recent survey, only 56% of eighth graders and 43% of high-school seniors said that they thought drinking heavily once or twice a weekend was a great risk.[5]

What are some of the real risks?

• Drinking alcohol increases the risk that a teen will commit or be a victim of a serious crime, such assault, rape, or murder.[6]
• Drinking alcohol increases teens' risk of death from car crashes and drowning.[7,8]
• Drinking alcohol increases the likelihood that a teen will engage in risky unprotected sex.[9,10]
• Teens who drink are more likely than other teens to attempt suicide.[11]
• If a teen drinks a large amount of alcohol in a short period of time, alcohol poisoning can occur, leading to coma or even death.

The younger teens are when they begin to drink, the greater the risk for addiction.
People who begin drinking before the age of 15 are four times more likely to be dependent on alcohol as adults than those who wait until age 21. More than 40% of those who start drinking at age 14 or younger become dependent on alcohol as adults.[12]

Some teens are much more likely to drink than others.
Although teenage girls are almost as likely to drink as boys, teenage boys are much more likely to drink heavily on a regular basis.[13] Other things that put teens at risk include:

Childhood behavior.
Teens who were aggressive, antisocial, or impulsive, restless, and easily distracted as young children are more likely to have alcohol-related problems in their teenage years.[14-19]

Mental or emotional problems.
Teenagers that suffer from anxiety and depression disorders are much more likely to abuse or be dependent on alcohol. , Sometimes problems with alcohol can lead to depression and anxiety, but more frequently, teens with depression and anxiety disorders seek out alcohol and other drugs to avoid dealing with the pain caused by these illnesses. Teens with conduct disorders or certain types of attention-deficit disorders are also more likely to have problems with alcohol.[22,23]

A family history of alcoholism.
Children of alcoholics are much more likely than other teens to start drinking during their teenage years.[24,25]

Positive parental attitudes toward drinking.
Teens with parents who drink or express favorable attitudes toward drinking are more likely to start drinking sooner and to continue drinking. Teens that are warned about alcohol by their parents are less likely to start drinking.[26-29]

Home environment.
Teens that come from homes where parents provide little emotional support for their children, fail to monitor their activities, or have little involvement in their lives, are more likely to drink, and to drink heavily. Harsh, inconsistent discipline and hostility or rejection toward children have also been found to lead to adolescent drinking and alcohol-related problems.

Positive peer attitudes toward drinking.
When a teen's friends drink, accept, or encourage drinking, the teen is more likely to drink.[32,33]

Trauma.
Adolescents in treatment for alcohol abuse or dependence report higher rates of physical abuse, sexual abuse, violent victimization, witnessing violence, and other traumas than other teens.[34]

Teens who drink regularly also often put themselves at risk in other ways.
Over 90% of the teens who drink regularly also do other things that can put them or those around them at risk for harm.[35] Such behaviors include using illegal drugs, fighting, carrying weapons, and having unsafe sex.

One national survey found that of the teens who reported drinking regularly (at least once a week) in the past month:

• 49% had used marijuana in the last month,
• 21% used other illegal drugs (such as cocaine) in the last month,
• 50% had been in a physical fight in the past year,
• 16% had carried a weapon to school in the past month,
• 9% had attempted suicide in the past year, and
• 27% had engaged in risky sex.[36]

Teens who drink are much more likely to engage in violence against others.
Alcohol is involved in a high percentage of serious violent crimes committed by teenagers and adults. Although estimates vary, studies have found that alcohol plays a key role in many violent crimes, including murder, assault, manslaughter, and rape.[37,38]

The link between alcohol and increased violence and aggressiveness is not entirely clear, however. Not everyone who drinks or gets drunk becomes aggressive and violent. Alcohol appears to increase the risk of violent behavior only for certain individuals and only in some situations.

Why does drinking alcohol increase aggressive behavior?
There is some evidence to suggest that drinking leads to increased aggressiveness because it lowers inhibitions, including those that would normally prevent aggressive behavior.
Alcohol also impairs judgment and may cause people to overreact to perceived threats or to fail to consider the future risks of an impulsive violent response.[39]

Drinking may also increase aggression because people expect it to. In studies where people were told that their beverage contained alcohol, they began to act more aggressively, regardless of whether their beverage actually did contain alcohol or not.[40,41]

In addition, it may be that some people drink when they intend to engage in violence in order to bolster their courage or in hopes of using alcohol as an excuse for the violence.[42,43]

Finally, as mentioned earlier, people who drink a lot are also likely to engage in other risky behaviors, including fighting and weapon-carrying. It may just be that violent people are more likely than non-violent people to hang out with people and choose situations that encourage heavy drinking.[44]

Teens that drink are also more likely to attempt suicide.
Alcohol use among teenagers has been associated with considering, planning, attempting, and completing suicide. In one study of teen suicide, drug and alcohol abuse was the most common characteristic of those who attempted suicide; 70 percent of these teenagers frequently used alcohol and/or other drugs.[45] However, research has not proven that drinking actually causes suicidal behavior, only that the two behaviors are associated.[46]

What You Can Do
Get the facts about alcohol and drinking.
Many teens are not aware of basic facts about alcohol. For example, did you know that:

• one drink can make you fail a breath test;
• one 12-ounce beer has about as much alcohol as a 1.5-ounce shot of liquor, a 5-ounce glass of wine, or a wine cooler; and
• mixing alcohol with medications or illegal drugs is extremely dangerous and can lead to accidental death.

Learn about different ways to turn down a drink.
Sometimes, watching TV, or listening to people talk, it's easy to believe that everyone is drinking. In fact, most teens don't drink on a regular basis, and drinking doesn't make you "cool". If someone offers you a drink, just say, "No thanks," "I don't drink," or "I'm not into that." You may want to try suggesting another activity instead.

Learn to recognize the signs of a drinking problem in a friend (or yourself).
If a friend has one or more of the following warning signs, he or she may have a problem with alcohol:

• getting drunk on a regular basis
• lying about how much alcohol he or she is using or hiding alcohol,
• believing that alcohol is necessary to have fun
• having frequent hangovers
• feeling run-down, depressed, or even suicidal
• having "blackouts" -- forgetting what he or she did while drinking
• having problems at school or getting in trouble with the law.
• giving up activities he or she used to do, such as playing sports or doing homework, and
• shunning friends who don't drink.

If you recognize these signs in a friend or yourself, professional help may be necessary. Check out the web sites listed below to learn more about how to help a friend, and call the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at 800-729-6686 for information and referrals.

Don't try to handle this on your own. Talk with an adult you can trust, such as your parents or a trusted family member, a teacher, a school counselor, your clergy, or a professional at a mental health center.

Helpful Links

Free Vibe—National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, Office of National Drug Control Policy
Get the facts about alcohol and other drugs, hear from celebrities, and talk to other teens about their "Anti-drugs", things that are more important to them than using drugs, like sports, friends, family, music, and dancing.

The Cool Spot, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health
The "Cool Spot" is a place where you can learn about being yourself, thinking for yourself, and getting the facts about underage drinking, because sometime, somewhere, you may be offered alcohol. Here's where you'll learn that it's OK to turn down a drink, and that cool kids don't drink. You'll also find cool things to do.

National Clearinghouse on Alcohol and Drug Information, SAMHSA, Department of Health and Human Services.
The National Clearinghouse on Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI) provides teens with a wealth of information about alcohol and drugs.

• For Kids Only Section
• Tips for Teens: The Truth About Alcoho0l
• Does your friend have an alcohol or other drug problem? What can you do to help? A guide for teens
• If Someone Close...has a problem with alcohol or other drugs
• Making the Link: Underage Drinking and Violence
• Making the Link: Underage Drinking and Mental Health

The School Zone, Office of National Drug Control Policy
This site provides links to many web sites for teens, including those that provide factual information about safety issues and positive and negative influences on your health.

Information for Students, National Institute on Drug Abuse
This section of the NIDA web site includes research information for teens about the effects of drug abuse on the brain and interactive activities to help you learn more about various drugs and how they affect how your brain works.

Girl Power! SAMHSA, Department of Health and Human Services.
This site has a wide variety of information and activities to encourage girls to make the most of their lives, supporting them in building skills and self-confidence in school, arts, sports, and other activities. It also provides information for girls about tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs, along with information about physical activity, nutrition, relationships, and mental health.

America'sTeens.Gov—General Services Administration
This site provides a gateway to Federal and other publicly supported web sites for teens. It includes links to information about teen safety and health issues, substance abuse, and about community service/volunteering opportunities for teens.

The National Youth Network—U.S. Department of Justice
The U.S. Department of Justice believes YOU can be part of the solution, involve yourself in the process of sharing information with other teenagers across the country and take responsibility for improving your own neighborhoods. The National Youth Network provides young people with information and resources and provides a unique opportunity for you to share perspectives with other teenagers on issues related to substance abuse, delinquency and violence prevention

A Teenager's Guide to... Fitting in, Getting involved, Finding yourself—Family and Youth Services Bureau, Department of Health and Human Services.
The ideas in this booklet can help you learn to deal with tough times and enjoy the good times by finding the people and places that are right for you. You might find these ideas useful in your everyday life. Or read them to see if they might be helpful to a friend.

References

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