Alcoholism in teenager:

Parents and Alcohol:

The attitude your teenager has towards alcohol will be affected by the way you think about it.

If you are fairly relaxed about alcohol, enjoy the odd drink but don't drink to excess, the chances are that is how your teenager will develop.

If you are dead against drinking at all times, you may be lucky and find that your child has a similar attitude towards teen alcohol drinking, but teenagers are notorious for taking opposite points of view to their parents and you may find that your teen deliberately drinks excessively to counteract your firm stance!

A general rule of thumb would be the more you try to enforce strict rules with a teenager, the more they are likely to rebel.

Talking to your teen about your concerns and the dangers of excessive drinking, and finding a compromise, is more likely to achieve results than a stand-off.

Teenagers and alcohol: Why teenagers drink alcohol.

For many teenagers, alcohol is a sign that they are growing up. It is 'cool' to drink.

It also makes them feel good, more relaxed, braver, light hearted - all emotions which are welcome to a troubled teen for whom life can be confusing and difficult a lot of the time.

Teens don't want to feel like children anymore. Alcohol always belonged to the adult world before, so drinking can be a way of showing you, their friends, and themselves that they are older now. This is the reason why alcoholism in teenagers is on the increase.

How to stop alcoholism in teenagers:

In truth it is unlikely you will be able to stop them completely, and perhaps you should not be trying.

It won't be long before they will reach an age when they are legally allowed to drink alcohol. If that day arrives and they have never drunk before, they are more likely to binge drink and get out of control.

If you try to ban drinking altogether, you are more than likely to drive your teen into drinking secretly.

It is far better to keep things out in the open so you can maintain a good relationship with your teen and talk to him or her about alcoholism in teenagers and it's effects.

How to talk to teenagers about drink:

Most adolescents will not take kindly to a formal sit down and talk session about alcoholism in teengagers and are unlikely to hang around for long!

Impromptu, more casual conversations work best. Car journeys are great because they can't escape!

Take opportunities as they arise from what is happening around you. Alcoholism in teenagers on TV, people you see who seem drunk, or who are driving erratically, people in restaurants or pubs. There may also be people in the news, or even people you know, who are suffering from drink related illnesses, or who have been injured or killed by drunk drivers.

Don't lecture, just point out these examples, let them know how you feel about them.

Lead by example:

• Never drink and drive, and actively comment on the fact that you are going to get a cab as you want to be able to have a glass of wine.
• Say out loud that you are not going to have any more to drink as you are feeling a bit sleepy or that you don't want to make yourself ill the next day.

Make sure they are aware of the teen drinking statistics:

Teen Drinking and Driving Facts: All statistics are for alcoholism in teenagers aged between 16 and 20.

• Every year over 5000 teenagers die due to fatal injuries caused by car accidents.
• Around 400,000 drivers in that age bracket will suffer serious injuries.
• 23% of the drivers who died in car crashes had blood alcohol counts of 0.08 or higher.
• Of all male drivers killed, 38% had been speeding and 24% had been drinking and driving.
• One in 10 teenagers admitted that they had driven after drinking alcohol.
• More than half of these car crashes happened between 3 pm and midnight and at weekends.

Other alcoholism in teenager statistics:

• 50% of all drowning deaths among teenaged males are related to alcohol use.
• Drinking alcohol increases the chance that a teenager will be involved in a homicide or suicide, as well as fatal car crashes.

Tell them about these teen drinking facts:

Teenage drinkers are more likely to get fat and have spots.

Drinking makes you look dumb. You may slur your words, vomit or pee on yourself.

Alcohol and teenagers often spells out putting your health or life at risk. You more likely to take risks when having sex, or when going off with someone you don't know.

Teens who continue drinking heavily into adulthood stand a high risk of damaging their major organs, such as the liver, the heart, and the brain.

Teen binge drinking:

Having 5 alcoholic drinks or more in a row is considered binge drinking.

Apart from the dangers listed above, teenagers who drink heavily are likely to suffer from a variety of illnesses when the reach adulthood:

• hypertension
• heart disease,
• diabetes
• cancer.

Make sure you know where your teenager is when they are out.

Try to maintain a close, friendly relationship with your teen. Don't be too oppressive of forbidding.

Give them a mobile phone so that they can ring you if they need help or a lift home (it is better to get out of bed at 2 in the morning to bring your son or daughter home safely, than to expose them to the risk of being driven by someone who has been drinking!)

Talk to them about sensible drinking limits and the risks if they go over that.

Explore with them how to reduce alcohol using soft mixers or alternating alcoholic drinks with soft drinks, and still enjoy going out with friends.

Alcoholism and teenager:

As the rate of binge drinking rises, more teens are drinking alcohol not just to have fun, but as a fix. In this way alcoholism in teenagers is similar to drug taking.

Is your teenager drinking regularly and heavily or just occasionally?

You may find that they are no longer able to go for several days without a drink. If this is the case they need help and support to stop.

Consult your doctor who will be able to give you the information you need.

We all know how hard people find it to stop an addiction, and few can manage alone. Offer your teen your support and sympathy.

Try to get them active and involved in something they enjoy, a sport or hobby, which will keep them away from alcohol.

Ensure that nobody drinks in the house and remove all alcohol.

Provide a variety of soft drinks, including more sophisticated adult soft drinks, with ice and lemon, anything to make the drinks more appealing.

Take your teen away on holiday with you to get them away from their drinking friends for a while.

Offer them short term and longer term incentives to stop drinking, such as help buying a car, a holiday, a longed for computer or other technology.

With support and the right information, alcoholism in teenagers can be prevented or halted.

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For more advice on teenagers go to our Parenting Teenagers pages.

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