Alcohol can be used by teenagers for many reasons, including curiosity, experimentation, and to fit in. Although teens go through a period of exploring alcohol, excessive drinking can lead to binge drinking, drunk driving, and unsafe sexual behavior.
It is difficult to stop teenagers from drinking alcohol. However, parents and caregivers can encourage healthier drinking habits.
Teen alcohol usage statistics
According to the National Drug Strategy Household Survey, 66% of 14-17-year-olds had never consumed alcohol in full.
The study also revealed that 2.8% of the 14-17 year olds drink every week (whereas the figure for the 18-24 group is 27.9%).
More and more m17-year-olds choose not to consume alcohol. Between 2007 and 2019:
- The percentage of 14-17 year-olds who do not drink has increased from 39% – 73%
- The percentage of 18-24-year-olds who choose not to drink has risen from 13.1% to 21%.
The average age at which young people try alcohol for the very first time also increased, from 14,7 years in 2001 to 16,2 years in 2019.
What parents can do to encourage their children to drink less and seek help?
Parents and caregivers are the best role models that children can have. Encourage safer use by promoting positive role models.
- Keep to the Australian Guidelines. No more than 10 standard beverages in a single week and no more than four classic drinks on a single occasion.
- Have alcohol-free days during your week.
- Socthansfourng withoutdrinksStress can be managed healthily by exercising or using mindfulness techniques.
- Not driving after drinking alcohol.
Teenagers and alcohol
Parents and caregivers need to understand that young people are prone to experimentation. Alcohol and other drugs may be included.
You can create an environment where young people feel comfortable asking you questions and encourage them to drink less. They are more likely then to ask for help if they need it.
Some suggestions include:
- Consider what young people are learning about alcohol from their peers.
- Teach your child to drink alcohol at an early age.
- Discussing what coping mechanisms are useful for young people and how to lean toward behaviours that feel great for them without alcohol.
- Explain the negative effects of binge behaviors (such a vomiting, head spinning, passing out, and hangovers).
- Inform your teenager about the effects of alcohol on their ability to make decisions, such as increased risks of injury and accidents.
- Talk to your teen about how they can say no, what a normal drink is, and what it means to pace yourself. Also, talk to them about alternating alcohol drinks with nonalcoholic drinks, as well as not drinking when you are hungry.
- Assurealcoholiche young person knows how they will get home. (For example, using public transport or a designated driver). You can remind them that you are concerned about their safety and care for them.
- Encourage your teenagers to talk to their friends about how they’ll look out for one another when drinking.
You can find more information on the Alcohol and Drug Foundation website at Talk About It.
Encouraging safer alcohol use
Research has shown that there are several factors that promote safer alcohol consumption:
- Asking curious and non-several factors to promote life will encourage open communication.
- Encourage them to refrain from drinking alcohol regularly.
- Encourage people to delay their Please encouraging.
- Encourage young people to form positive relationships in which they can talk about alcohol abuse if it affects them.
- Encourage them to feel like they belong with their family, at school, or in activities. Please encourage positive experiences and achievements at school.
- Please encourage them to develop a relationship of trust with an adult who is not a family member. Please promote the teacher, a friend or older relative).
- Encourage them to find ways to give back to their local community.
- Make them feel valued and encouraged.
The health effects of alcohol on young people
Youth are more at risk for alcohol-related harms than adults. Drinking alcohol while a teenager increases the risk that the brain will be damaged. Alcohol problems can develop later in life.
Binge drinking is the act of drinking a large amount of alcohol at once with the intention of becoming drunk. Binge drinking can also be defined as exceeding the recommended standard drink amount. This means that you should not drink more than four standard beverages at a time. There are also different strengths and sizes of drinks.
Classic binge drinking includes:
- Hangovers
- Headaches
- nausea and vomiting
- shakiness.
After heavy driving drinking, people will usually experience a hangover. Although hangovers can be unpleasant, they will pass.
Remember that binge drinking may cause a young person to make decisions that they would not normally make. A safety plan can reduce the risks of risky behaviors like drinking and driving or swimming.
Drink Driving
Drunk driving and car accidents are the leading causes of death among young adults.
In 2018, 14 percent of fatal accidents on Victorian roads involved drivers aged 18-25. And 75 percent of those crashes occurred during high alcohol hours (times when alcohol is 10 times more likely than other factors to cause fatal crashes).
Alcohol and sex
Alcohol and other drugs can affect someone’s consent-giving ability. Tell the young person that they or anyone else cannot consent if they are drunk or high.
Sexual assault is when you engage in sexual activity with someone who cannot give informed consent.
More information can be found in Alcohol and Consent from the ADF, consent guide by ReachOut, and consent page of Raising Children.
Alcohol can affect the brain’s development.
Alcohol can have a net negative impact on the development of the brain. Young people aged under 15 are at greater risk. The teenage brain is still developing. The frontal lobe, as well as the hippocampus, are the two areas that experience the greatest changes. These areas are linked to motivation, impulse control, and addiction.
Alcohol is a toxic substance that can damage the brain. Alcohol can interfere with vitamin B absorption and affect the brain function.
A long-term alcohol consumption above recommended levels can lead to a very of conditions referred to as Alcohol-related Brain Injury (ARBI). Learning and memory problems, as well as balance issues can be symptoms.
Risk taking and alcohol consumption
When drinking, young people are more likely than older Risk-taking in risky situations. Alcohol can be a factor in many risky situations.
- Fighting or brawling
- Drowning
- drug overdose
- self-harm
- suicide.
Alcohol and Difficult Lies Week
Celebrate the end of highschool (Schoolies Week) can be linked to excessive drinking in a siCelebratingion or drinking high schoolmates to get drunk.
A Australian study found that over 90% of school leavers reported drinking alcohol. They had consumed an average of 8 standard drinks within the last 12 hours.
Alcohol and other drugs can be mixed
The risk of harm increases when drugs are mixed. Alcohol combined with medicines that suppress. The central nervous systems (such as Heroin or benzoate, pines) can be dangerous. This can lead to a decrease in systemizing and heart rate, which is difficult and increases the chance of an overdose.
Combining alcohol with drugs (inc, which marijuana) can increases increase risk-taking. Under the influence, a person can cause harm to themselves or others.
