Underage drinking can lead to a variety of negative consequences, altering a teenager’s life forever. The dangers of teen drinking range from psychological problems to terminal health conditions, and even fatality. As such, it is important for parents to talk with their teens about drinking or provide help when a teenager has an addiction.
Furthermore, teenagers need to understand the risks involved with social drinking or getting into a vehicle with other teenagers who have been drinking. While the focus of the dangers of teen drinking is often about health problems or alcoholism, drinking and driving is also a serious problem that leads the thousands of deaths each year.
Let’s take a look below at why teenagers drink and the risks associated with alcohol.
What Are The Dangers of Teen Drinking?
Drinking can impair a teen’s judgment and put other people around them at risk of physical harm. Some of the risks of teen drinking include:
- Drunk driving fatalities
- Alcohol poisoning
- Altered brain function and development
- Poor academic performance
- Sexual assault or rape
- Blackouts
When teenagers drink they become vulnerable. They may subject themselves to dangerous situations in which they or others can get hurt.
Why Do Kids Risk The Dangers of Teen Drinking?
There are several reasons why a teenager starts to drink, including:
Peer Pressure
Teens are often highly influenced by their friends in almost every social situation. Alcohol consumption is no different. Teenagers will start drinking just by being in the same room as another teenager who is also drinking.
Social gatherings often consist of consuming alcoholic beverages and drugs. If a teen male wants to fit in, they will often drink without even being pressured into. Therefore, social pressure is not just spoken.
Alcohol is Everywhere
Teenagers have to give very little effort to commit underage drinking. They can get alcohol from adults over 21, fake IDs, or even at home. If parents have alcohol in the home, a teenager can easily get to it.
Regardless of strict regulations and severe penalties, there are many establishments that still do not check IDs. Restaurants, bars, and even package stores allow teenagers to purchase alcohol all of the time without checking IDs. If nothing else, teenagers are becoming more adept at stealing alcohol.
Alcoholism in the Home
Teenagers who have alcoholic parents are four times more likely to develop an addiction to alcohol or drugs at an early age. The reason for this is because teenagers are influenced by their parents and by their surroundings.
Even teenagers that disapprove of their parents’ drinking habits may still end up drinking. Genetics, personality traits, environment, and emotional/mental stress can all influence a teenager’s addiction to alcohol. Adolescent residential programs can help teenagers explore the family influence on their addiction and then find the right treatment to overcome their dependency.
Contact Foothills at Red Oak Recovery for Alcohol Addiction Treatment
If your teenager is struggling with alcohol addiction, then there is help available to help you with your dependency. They can learn of the dangers of teen drinking and receive comprehensive treatment at a teen alcohol addiction treatment in NC. To find out more, contact our teen residential treatment center at 866.300.5275 today.
