It is very alarming that many teenagers nowadays are into alcohol. They are oblivious though to the harmful effects of alcohol on their body. Researchers say that drinking alcohol is harmful regardless whether they are teenagers or adults. But these researchers emphasize that teenagers are the ones who are more likely to suffer the harmful effects of alcohol primarily because of their drinking habits. They are also the ones who are more likely to drink a lot of alcohol in a short span of time.
It must be stressed that excessive alcohol drinking can lead to serious health problems such as depression, liver problems, and heart failure and permanent damage to the person’s brain and nervous system. According to Dr. John Nelson of the American Medical Association (2002), there is scientific evidence that may prove that even modest alcohol consumption in late childhood and adolescence can result in permanent brain damage (“Psychological Effects of Alcohol on Teenagers”).
One need not actually read a lot of literature on the effects of alcohol on the person’s brain to realize that it is very dangerous. One needs only to experience it himself. It is worth stressing that after a couple of drinks, the person will most likely experience difficulty in walking straight, blurred vision, slurred speech, slowed reaction and reflexes and impaired memory. These impairments however end once drinking stops. If this is the case, then one should imagine how alcohol can affect his brain if he takes it over a long period of time. Researchers say that having drinking for a long period of time has extensive and far reaching effects on the brain especially for teenagers.
According to National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, “Alcohol can produce detectable impairments in memory after only a few drinks and, as the amount of alcohol increases, so does the degree of impairment. Large quantities of alcohol, especially when consumed quickly and on an empty stomach, can produce a blackout, or an interval of time for which the intoxicated person cannot recall key details of events, or even entire events” (Alcohol’s Damaging Effects on the Brain, 2004, p.1). In addition, excessive alcohol drinking is also considered as one of the causes for permanent brain damage (James Robert Brasic, 2003, p.2).
Aside from health issues, excessive consumption of alcohol also increases the possibility of violent behavior and victimization. Scientists have discovered that there is a strong link between alcohol consumption and violent behavior. J. Roiden made a study of the violent offenders who were drinking at the time of the offense.
The results show that: up to 86 percent of homicide offenders were drinking at the time of the offense; 37 percent of assault offenders were drinking at the time of the offense; c) 60 percent of sexual offenders were drinking at the time of the offense; d) up to 57 percent of men and 27 percent of women involved in marital violence are drinking at the time of the offense; e) and 13 percent of child abusers are drinking at the time of the offense (J Roiden, 1997, p.1). This simply shows that alcohol has an effect on the emotion of the teenagers which emboldens him and makes him commit certain offenses which he may regret onwards.
It has also been established by the scientists that alcohol increases sexual and aggressive behavior. It bears stressing that majority of the cases of sexual assaults committed against teenagers happen during party situations where either the aggressor or the victim has taken alcohol. In most cases, the aggressor who is intoxicated may have no intent to commit this crime but it is possible for him to misinterpret the signs manifested by the other such that what he may think that the other consents to sexual activity when in the fact the other party resists (Antonia Abbey, 2003, p.1). For the girl who may be intoxicated herself, she may not have enough physical strength to fight against an aggressive and drunk teenager.
Intoxication also increases the likelihood that the teenager may engage in risky behavior that may imperil his life. It must be stressed that there are a number of cases where teenagers have been caught driving while being under the influence of alcohol. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the youths are most often involved in alcohol related driving accidents. Statistics shows that although young drivers make up only 14% of the US Population, youths aged 16-24 have been involved in 28% of the alcohol-related driving accidents.
Scientists and researchers have also discovered a strong link between depression and alcohol abuse among teenagers. They found out that teenagers who are addicted to alcohol are more likely to be depressed. They are also more likely to have low self-esteem. This accounts for the reason why there is a high rate of suicide attempts among teenagers who are alcohol drinkers.
In a study conducted involving high school and college students who are under 21 years of age, it was found out that alcohol abuse is associated with depression and self esteem. This study also showed that teenagers who refrain from drinking alcohol have higher self-esteem that those who drink and that those who do not drink are less depressed that those who drink (Adrienne deSimone, 1994, p.1).
Conclusion
Based on the research conducted, it is clear the alcoholism is not simply about the lack moral strength and character of teenagers. It is a serious disease which the society should also take very seriously. Habitual use of any intoxicating alcoholic drinks is not only detrimental to the person’s health but it also affects his relationship with his family and his society.
It is clear that alcoholism results from genetics and environmental factors. If more teenagers are engaged into drinking it is because of their own parents who may have been alcoholics themselves. If more teenagers are addicted to alcohol then it is because they are more susceptible to pressures coming from their own family, their friends, their school, the mass media and the environment in general. The society which teenagers are exposed to nowadays is completely different from the society our parents and their own parents knew. The teenager should therefore not be blamed, rather, we should understand them and the factors which made him addicted to alcohol.
The solution to this problem therefore does not only involve the treatment of the teenager. If we will constantly limit the treatment of alcoholism to the teenager then we will always be barking at the wrong tree. If the source of this problem is the society, then therefore the solution can also be found within the society. It is suggested that the parents must closely monitor the activities of their teenage children. The behavioral changes in the child do not simply happen overnight. It can be noticed if they will only pay attention to their children.
This can also be avoided if there is a healthy relationship between the parents and their children. If they notice that their children are skipping or cutting classes or their grades suddenly dropped or are frequently alone inside their room or if they are involved with peers that are known to be drinkers, then parents must immediately act on this. If the problem becomes worse, then the parents concerned must treat this matter very seriously and should consult the help of professionals for treatment.
Bibliographies
Abbey, Antonia (2003). Alcohol’s effects on perceptions of a potential date rape. Journal of Studies on Alcohol. Retrieved 28 March 2008 from: http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-108914262.html
“Alcohol’s Damaging Effects on the Brain.” Alcohol Alert. National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. October 2004 Number 63. Retrieved 28 March 2008 from: http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa63/aa63.htm
“Alcoholism seen as disease, but opinions vary on cause” (1998). Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 28 March 2008 from: http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3881934.html
Brasic, James Robert (2003). Positron emission tomography: a tool for identifying the effects of alcohol dependence on the brain. Alcohol Research and Health. Retrieved 28 March 2008 from: http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1- 119782764.html