Consequences of Underage Drinking

1. Consequences of Underage Drinking

2. Despite laws in every U.S. state banning the sale or serving of alcohol to people under 21, as many as half of American adolescents take their first drink before even completing middle school. Thirty percent of twelfth graders may drink three or more times a month, and 11% of alcohol in the United States is consumed by 12–20-year olds. More than 600,000 adolescents under 18 have alcohol use disorder. And over 5 million people under 21 may engage in the high-risk behavior of binge drinking (4–5 drinks in 2 hours—official health recommendations are a maximum of 1–2 drinks in 24 hours) at least monthly. Aside from the potential legal consequences if caught, basic facts of human development make it inevitable that some of alcohol’s negative effects will be felt harder by younger drinkers.

3. 1. Every year, there are 4,000–5,000 alcohol-related fatalities among Americans under age 21. You can probably guess that many of these are due to motor vehicle crashes. Other lethal under-the-influence possibilities include: Drowning (it’s all too common to combine drinking with recreational boating or beach parties) Falls Burns Wandering into traffic or other “fools rush in” situations Violent fights Suicide attempts Alcohol poisoning from binge drinking

4. 2. Adolescent mood swings and the depressant effects of alcohol are a dangerous combination. Every parent of a teenager knows that major hormonal changes mean frequent moodiness, irritability and self-doubt. If that can be hard on parents, it’s worse for the adolescent, who like many an adult may be tempted to “drink away” frustration and despair. Unfortunately, the “take a drink” solution is not only temporary, it ultimately makes bad feelings worse. Although it’s not clear whether drinking can in itself turn gloomy moods into genuine medical depression, one-third of people with medical depression also have drinking problems—and teenagers who have even temporary depression are twice as likely as other teens to drink. And, people who have both depression and alcohol problems are more likely to commit suicide.

5. 3. Underage drinkers are more likely to become addicted. Once alcohol addiction develops, getting off it is not a pleasant experience. It means headaches, vomiting, fever, mental confusion and often the need for alcohol detox medication to keep more dangerous symptoms from developing. It means around three months of inpatient care recalibrating one’s overall life situation. Most teenagers and young adults have more than enough stress without going through all that—it’s much easier to just abstain from alcohol, at least until legal drinking age.

6. If you’re a parent who suspects that your teenager or young adult child has a drinking problem: If your child is a minor in your custody, you have a right to insist he or she get treatment—but do it as firmly-but-kindly as possible. Cultivating mutual respect and cooperation will much improve the odds of a successful post-detox future. If your child is in the 18–20 age group (or even older), apply the same “tough love” approach as for other adults: no creating antagonism by threats or nagging; no enabling the addiction by lying for or cleaning up after the person; and, when you confront the situation directly, doing it with straight facts and calm expressions of your concern. When detox is officially over, long-term recovery has only begun. Be prepared to offer your child your best support even when you find it annoyingly inconvenient to attend family therapy or ban wine from your house.

7. Inland Detox, top source of inpatient drug rehab in the Los Angeles vicinity, is located less than two hours away in the Temecula Valley. If you or your teenager need help with alcohol detox or recovery from any other chemical dependence, please call (855) 622-6708.

8. Contact Us - Temecula, CA 92590 - admin@inlanddetox.com -888-739-8296 - http://www.inlanddetox.com

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