CAUSES
Since teenagers are people who are experiencing a series of physical and psychological changes. They make this stage a period of instability where teenagers try to define themselves and seek a role in society. This situation makes them one of the most vulnerable to alcohol consumption.
According to several studies carried out, there are two contexts in which most teenagers start drinking alcohol:
The first is related to the family environment in which parents tend to constantly consume these types of drinks, which is why they see normal that their children also start consuming from an early age or because they do it to distract themselves from unhappy situations or depressive feelings caused by problems of the teenagers.
Now, if the teen is emotionally stable, it is unlikely that he will start drinking from such a young age since when he suffers anguish, abandonment, neglect or little family attention is when the probabilities increase for young people to start consuming this type of drink .
On the other hand, the second context is influenced by friends. The consumption of alcohol will depend a lot on the social relationships you establish. For this reason, it is extremely important that parents are aware of what is happening in their children’s lives through constant communication, getting to know their friends and the places they frequently visit, since this substance is closely related to the recreational leisure and socializing.
CONSEQUENCES
Consuming alcohol in adolescence is harmful, regardless of how much or how often it is done. Mainly because alcohol damages your body and exposes you to greater risks.
Science has made it possible to understand why it is different for an adult to have a drink from time to time than for a young person to do so.
Here’s why:
Starting alcohol consumption before the age of 18 increases the probability of continuing it into adulthood, as well as that of resorting to other drugs such as marijuana or cocaine.
Drinking alcohol in people under 18 can negatively influence brain development
Because short-term alcohol use affects memory and learning; adolescent drinkers tend to perform the lowest in school.
- In addition to the above, as alcohol reaches the whole body through the blood, when the adolescent abuses alcohol, he becomes vulnerable to more consequences:
- Alterations in the development and growth of bones
- Tendency to respiratory diseases
- Decreased production of growth hormone
- Cardiovascular disorders
- Gastric disorders
- Cancer of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, colon, rectum, liver and breast in women.
Alcohol abuse in adults is also associated with these consequences; however, the earlier a person begins to drink alcohol, the greater their risk.
RISKS
The action of drinking alcoholic beverages can lead you to make decisions that are not good for you, for people close to you or for the environment in which you develop. The use of these substances means that the chances of any of these events occurring are too high:
- Car accidents
- Falls, drowning and other accidents
- Suicide and self harm
- Violence and homicide
- Being a victim of violent crime
On the other hand, the consumption of these substances can also lead to dangerous and inappropriate sexual behaviors, under the effect of these substances, one cannot process the things that happen around him and less a teenager, this increases the chances of:
- Sexually transmitted infections
- Unwanted pregnancy
- Sexual assault or rape
Also, the effects of consuming too much of these substances are lifelong and severely damage the brain, so much so that excessive consumption can lead to death. Drinking alcohol also increases the odds and creates a greater risk of depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem.
Drinking alcoholic substances in puberty can also lead to changes in hormones and in the body’s development, such as growth and puberty more generally.
Drinking too much in a short time can also affect your body with serious injury or death from alcohol poisoning. This can happen with as little as 4 drinks in 2 hours.
Parents play a very important role in preventing harmful and inappropriate behavior in their children. Here are some good practices for parents to prevent underage drinking.
Talk to children, not when only parents want to talk, but when children are in the mood to talk to parents more openly.
Having a special educational project for each child does not generalize to all with just one.
Pass on values.
Teach moderation in general and the use of money in particular.
Maintain reasonable but firm schedules for the exits to the «reus» and «pedas».
Society can also prevent this problem, school and community programs, apart from campaigns made for prevention, help reduce and prevent the consumption of alcohol and drugs. Programs and campaigns have to be different for each community, it cannot be generalized, as long as it is more effective.
VIDEO ABOUT HOW ALCOHOL AFFECTS OUR BRAN DEVELOPMENT:
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