Teenage Drinking

Teenage drinking is a widespread epidemic in the United States Today; in fact, teenage drinking is so common that over fifty percent of high school seniors reported drinking heavily within 1 month period prior to an annual study. Teenage drinking is not specific only to certain races, gender, or class, but certain trends have been observed that may show higher tendencies towards alcohol consumption based on these classifications. Although young males show higher incidences of teenage drinking than females, the gap continues to close between the two. Race also plays a role in teenage drinking statistics, as white students show the highest percentages of drinkers, black students show the lowest, and Hispanic students are somewhere in the middle.

Teenage drinking is more than just a nuisance or an adolescent phase. Of a large study of high school seniors, 80 percent reported binge drinking, getting drunk, or drinking and driving, and of those students, over 50 percent admitted that drinking had made them feel ill, get arrested, have a car accident, and miss school or work. Studies also indicate that teenage drinking causes adolescents to have a lesser chance of being successful at normal adult achievements and goals, such as achieving higher education, getting married, attaining employment, and being financially successful.

There are many additional risk factors for teenage drinking and alcoholism. These include:

· Family history
· Childhood hyperactivity and/or aggression
· Mental disorders such as anxiety or depression
· Suicidal thoughts and behaviors
· Family's view on alcohol consumption
· Lack of parental ties and/or monitoring
· Peer's attitudes towards and consumption of alcohol
· Childhood abuse or exposure to violence and trauma
· Awareness of alcohol (usually due to advertising)

There are several negative results of teenage drinking that are quite severe and cannot be ignored. Of all car accidents involving teens, one out of five show alcohol present in his or her system. Teenage drinking is also associated with sexual promiscuity and early sexual encounters. Adolescents who drink are more often to have risky sexual behavior, have unprotected sex (which leads to a high risk of all sexually transmitted diseases), be coerced to have sex, and be forced to participate in sexual activities. Regardless of what behaviors may be acted out while drinking, one consequence of teenage drinking cannot be avoided. Growth and development of the bones is impaired, based on findings of a recent study on laboratory animals. Finally, one of the biggest issues with teenage drinking is that alcohol is often just the beginning of substance abuse problems. Alcohol has been referred to as the "gateway" drug, because it is often the first step in abusing any substance.

Many teens that start abusing alcohol find it difficult to stop for many reasons, and some will need intervention to prevent future alcoholism and potential drug addiction. If you or a teen you love is having problems with drinking, a recovery center may be the solution. At Treatment Referral, there are specific programs tailored to special needs of an adolescent. Youth-tailored programs are more successful than general population treatment and show better long-term effectiveness of treatment. Call Treatment Referral today for more information on youth treatment programs. 800.886.4986