Alcoholism in teenagers; how to deal? Adolescent alcoholism and its causes. The article will provide ways to eliminate the vocal inflammation that can interfere with the child’s self-perception in the future. Teenage alcoholism is a condition called the scourge of our time. Even though it is impossible to buy alcoholic beverages in supermarkets for persons under 18, some young tradespeople manage to get what they want with the help of strangers. In many cases, parents are too late to recognize the signs of alcohol addiction in their children, so you should understand the problem in detail.
Causes of adolescent alcoholism
If you need urgent intervention in your child’s life, you should understand the source of his addiction. Alcoholism in adolescents usually begins to develop with the following prerequisites for the formation of a pronounced pathology:
- Hereditary tendency … This factor has rather severe consequences for the delicate body of a child who suffers in the future without blaming himself. Statistics show that in families of hereditary alcoholics, almost 70% of their offspring follow in their parent’s footsteps. No one, in this case, claims that a stated fact is a hypothesis. However, the probability of alcoholism in adolescence increases three to four times when we compare a child from a dysfunctional family with the offspring of non-drinking parents.
- Traumatic brain injury … This pathology can have unpredictable consequences. Because of such life problems, children are excessively attracted to solid drinks. It can so damage their central brain function that even an experienced drug addict will not be able to free their young patient from alcohol addiction in a short time.
- Psyche … All children have a specific type of personality and accompanying behavior model. Suppose a teenager belongs to epilepsy, then in most cases. In that case, he begins to study alcohol only to disconnect from life’s problems. The schizoid type in children involves a slightly different motivation for action regarding using solid drinks. In this case, we are discussing the desire to eliminate internal contradictions and simplify communication with peers.
- Raising the team’s status… Children’s composition in a school does not always imply the cohesion and unity of all its members. Sometimes, the so-called herd instinct is triggered, which is extremely difficult for teenagers to resist. Most children are afraid of being bullied by their peers, who turn out to be more accessible than they are.
- Imposed stereotypes … Modern cinema does not always offer teenagers a role model for behavior in society that is worthy of them. Films in which young people are supposed to drink beer are no longer rare. Advertisements are full of offers to buy an alcoholic drink as an additional pleasure in life, without explaining all the harm of such a habit to a child.
- Distorted parenting system… When a teenager systematically sees his parents drowning in front of him, there is no guarantee that he will not follow their example. In families of alcoholics, control over the offspring is minimal, so the children are left to their own devices and can do stupid things. Experts say teenage alcoholism happens precisely when the fish rots from the head.
- Protest against adult dictates … Some parents begin to control their children too much and cause them to react aggressively with such actions. It is not forbidden to watch your child, but tyranny is unacceptable in every family. This age in children is characterized by rebellion, so you should not add fuel to the fire in the form of unnecessary morality. A teenager can start drinking despite adults because the psyche is not yet fully formed and depends on someone else’s negative influence.
- Basic licentiousness … The so-called golden youth, trying to prove something to each other, often goes beyond what is fair and permissible. Children of wealthy parents tend to be held hostage when they receive bonuses in the form of generous cash instead of controlling their behavior.
- Curiosity … A teenager is just starting to learn about this world, so he learns by trial and error. Taking intoxicants to some children seems like a grown-up activity, which is invalid. However, they want to taste the forbidden fruit, leading to disastrous consequences.
Important! A child at this age needs additional care from parents. It is always necessary to know clearly where and with whom the beloved child spends his free time so that there are no such unpleasant surprises as drunkenness in the future.
Adolescent Alcohol Dependence Levels
As with adults, a child has three stages in the development of a vocal problem that looks like this:
- Addictive … This field of interest in addictive drinks usually lasts six months. This period is enough for the teenager to achieve all the “pleasures” of being high. A similar process can begin with any alcoholic beverage. Some people assume that beer does not threaten the child’s body. However, practice shows that this foamy liquid has the property of getting used to it in a relatively short time.
- Increase in portions … The sound phase usually lasts the whole year, when a teenager sees several desirable containers instead of one bottle of the same alcoholic drink. At this stage, the risk of default on the part of the child increases because the increase in the alcohol dose requires a rather severe financial cost.
- Addiction … In this case, you should not just point the finger at the parents of such unfortunate children but give them a thorough reprimand. At this stage of the development of alcoholism, a child already experiences all the pleasures of abstinence syndrome (withdrawal symptoms), which he should not feel at the threshold of the world around him.
Read about the developmental stages of alcoholism in adults.
The main symptoms of alcoholism in teenagers
A child who can no longer live without using alcoholic beverages usually looks like this:
- The smell of alcohol and fumes … One of the first signs when parents and teachers should sound the alarm is the vocal component. A child cannot smell anything like that because this is against all moral standards. Adults tend to allow their children to drink champagne or wine at a party. In the future, they will want to repeat the experience that cannot be called positive.
- Excessive aggression … In rare cases, a teenager with alcoholism will be a peaceful person. The child’s body reacts rather harshly to too much Ethanol so that children can become simply uncontrollable bullies, even after a bottle of beer.
- Stealing from parents … To buy a container of strong drink, the child needs funds to fulfill his desires. A teenager, in exceptional cases, can earn a living, which is an exception to the rule. Therefore, he can take the path of least resistance by stealing from relatives.
- Illegal act … Alcoholic teenagers will not despise anything if they want to drink an extra bottle of the same beer they are already used to. They might start cheating on weaker kids at school or attack to empty the pockets of total adults.
Read about the reasons for the development of female alcoholism.
Consequences of adolescent alcoholism
This disease is a severe problem for the child and his parents.
The case is dangerous as it can end in the future as follows:
- Impossible to absorb information … Ethanol is usually very harmful to the child’s intelligence. At the same time, it destroys neural connections, without which healthy thinking cannot be expected in a teenager. Even with good tendencies, the young alcoholic will not have a single opportunity to acquire the information he needs.
- Low learning ability … If a child at this stage of his development has learned all the “joys” of drinking alcohol, his later performance in an educational institution should not be surprising. The same hangover will prevent him from absorbing the material offered by the teacher because the teenager will dream of another bottle of beer or low-alcohol poison.
- Asocial behavior … If a child has an increased desire to drink alcohol, then this factor has rather severe consequences. Under the influence of alcohol, teenagers often perform actions that directly contradict accepted norms. Such hooliganism usually ends up in a colony, after which it becomes difficult for an unformed personality to adapt to society in the future.
- Stunting … For the youth’s body to function fully, all necessary vitamins and minerals must be consumed promptly. Even in the early stages of alcoholism in children, the child’s appetite disappears, further leading to fatigue and stunted growth.
- General deterioration of health … With alcoholism at such a young age, almost all systems and organs of a teenager are affected. In this case, there is a failure of the gastrointestinal tract (pancreatitis or gastritis) and cardiovascular system (tachycardia, high blood pressure, arrhythmia). In this case, the child’s urinary function may also suffer in the form of cystitis or urethritis that develops.
- Infectious diseases … In a “fly” condition, teenagers often suffer from hypothermia in the cold season. As a result, the child’s immunity decreases, leading to diseases of the upper respiratory tract and lungs.
- Unplanned pregnancy … Children who have begun to abuse alcoholic beverages may reach puberty earlier than their prosperous peers. All this threatens the beginning of promiscuous sex, which in most cases is heavily conceived in a drunken state.
- Sexually transmitted infections … This problem is directly related to the previously announced fact. In addition to unplanned pregnancies, teenagers who prefer alcohol to a healthy lifestyle can develop severe diseases like syphilis and gonorrhea.
None of the listed consequences of adolescent alcoholism can be considered an insignificant fact that will be managed by itself. Suppose it is disrespect or outright suppression of a problem already present in a dysfunctional family. In that case, the fellow should contact the youth supervision and drug addiction doctor for help.
Characteristics of the fight against adolescent alcoholism
Every young person has the right to a fulfilling life and prospects for further development. The reasons for teenage alcoholism have a very detrimental effect on the child’s desire to get out of the vicious cycle. This immature personality can help not only by wise adults but also by narcotics doctors if you ask for their help in time.
