Teenage binge drinking
Teenage binge drinking has become an increasing problem over the last few decades, and is growing by the day. Now, more than ever, teenage binge drinking, needs to be addressed as soon as humanly possible. The issue needs to be addressed to those who already binge drink, and others who may not, but have access to alcoholic beverages. The problem lies in the fact that many teenagers, do not know exactly what binge drinking is, nor do they know the consequences of such actions, both over short and longer periods of time. Further, the issue of binge drinking, must be addressed by the loved ones of the teen, in order to stop alcohol access, and start some sort of treatment in order to solve or prevent a problem, or a potential tragedy for the teen and their family.
Read more: Adolescent Rehab
Many teens do not know what actual binge drinking is, in most cases. Typical binge drinking happens in a social setting, and occurs when more than two to three alcohol beverages are consumed at one sitting. The amount of alcohol that can be consumed by woman can be even less than one depending on the body type. As a result of teenage binge drinking, teens can make careless decisions that can land them in jail, the hospital, or much worse. Further, if too much alcohol is consumed, the teen runs the risk of alcohol poisoning, which itself can turn fatal, and quickly. Most teens do not know the signs of alcohol poisoning, and are typically unaware of how much alcohol in which they have consumed, and what their actual alcohol tolerance can be. In the short term, teenage binge drinking can have dire consequences.
The long term ramifications of teenage binge drinking, are still under much debate. While in teenage years, the brain is still developing, and much of the necessary growth during teenage years can be inhibited by large amounts of alcohol consumption. Further, starting to binge drink at a younger age, can lead to a long term habit of binge drinking that can last for decades. Many habits start young, and if moderation is taught at a younger age, it can eliminate problems with alcohol abuse in later years and into adulthood.
A crucial thing that needs to be done is to talk to your loved one, the teen, about their drinking habits, if they are known to be even occasional drinkers. Even though illegal, many teens have ready access to alcoholic beverages, through various sources. For this reason, it is important to set up an honest dialogue with the teen, and not ignoring the possibility of the teen partaking in alcohol consumption. If you have a feeling that the teen has been binge drinking, and does so often, there may be a point where the teen, and many loved ones, should seek help for this situation. Though many see teenage binge drinking as innocent fun, over time, it can turn into a real addiction, and a real problem.