teen drinking

The effects of teen drinking can be very serious. Fortunately , teenage alcohol use is on the decline. Still , it is a problem of note with three out of four high school students reporting that they have consumed an alcoholic beverage prior to graduating high school.

The most serious effects of teenage drinking is that it leads to adult dependence. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that teens who start drinking before the age of 15 are four times more likely to develop an alcohol addiction than those who do not begin drinking before the legal age of 21. Drinking and driving is another danger of teenage alcohol use. Forty percent of all alcohol-related fatal car crashes involve teens. Teens may not realize they are too impaired to drive, or they may be afraid to call home for a ride. Regardless of the reason, teens that drink often drive while under the influence. Alcohol may also serve as a “gateway drug” into more serious drug use. Once teens have decided alcohol use is acceptable, they may feel other drugs are okay as well. Impaired judgment may also lead to the experimentation with other drugs. Teen alcohol use nearly always causes poor performance in school, if the teen is using on any kind of a regular basis. Teens who use alcohol have trouble concentrating in class and on assignments. They also have difficulty with peer relationships and with relationships with teachers and other authority figures. Teen alcohol use also causes family problems. Teens who use alcohol may withdraw from the family and have difficulty with family relationships. They may demonstrate behavioral problems as well. Teen drinking is just a way to run from problems you may be experiencing in your life at the moment. It's nothing that you should be doing all the time because it WILL ruin your life. No one wants to grow up an alcoholic or have the life that they shouldn't have. So think twice before you make the choices that you make.