Alcoholism in Teenagers: Signs, Support, Treatment

The nature of these rapid changes may also increase the adolescent brain’s vulnerability to alcohol exposure. Underage drinking doesn’t automatically mean your teen has AUD. Either directly or indirectly, we all feel the effects of the aggressive behavior, property damage, injuries, violence, and deaths that can result from underage drinking. This is not simply a problem for some families—it is a nationwide concern. The Trevor Project is a leading national organization that provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning youth.

Effects of underage drinking

For more information about alcohol’s effects on the body, please see the NIAAA Interactive Body. Adolescents typically have an increased desire to experience new things, but experimenting with alcohol is not a good idea. If you’re worried about your teen using alcohol, it may be tempting to take an extremely strict approach or overemphasize the risks of alcohol use. Recognizing AUD in teenagers isn’t always easy, but it can be the first step in offering them the support they need. If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States. If you do have any of these symptoms, then alcohol may already be a cause for concern, and a conversation symptoms of being roofied about alcohol use with a professional is recommended.

Screening youth for alcohol use and AUD is very important and may prevent problems down the road. Screening by a primary care provider or other health practitioner (e.g., pediatrician) provides an opportunity to identify problems early and address them before they escalate. It also allows adolescents to ask questions of a knowledgeable adult. NIAAA and the American Academy of Pediatrics both recommend that all youth be regularly screened for alcohol use.

Physical and mental conditions:

The more symptoms you have, the more urgent the need for change. Sian Ferguson is a freelance health and cannabis writer based in Cape Town, South Africa. She’s passionate about empowering readers to take care of their mental and physical health through science-based, empathetically delivered information. If you think your teen may not feel comfortable talking with you, perhaps guide them toward another trusted adult, such as an aunt, uncle, family friend, or community leader, with whom they have a good relationship. Regardless of the cause of someone’s AUD, it’s important that they receive the treatment and support they need to feel better. However, it’s still a good idea to reach out to them — regardless of the cause of their behavior, they may need guidance and support.

Although binge drinking can have negative health consequences, not all people who binge drink are necessarily addicted to alcohol. Lastly, people who start drinking earlier in life have a higher risk of developing alcohol use disorder later in life. As adolescents mature, they undergo complex developmental changes, especially in their brains. The widespread changes in the organization and functioning of the brain—which continue into a person’s mid-20s—bring about the cognitive, emotional, and social skills necessary for adolescents to survive and thrive.

1. Recognizing AUD in teenagers isn’t always easy, but it can be the first step in offering them the support they need.
2. The consequences of underage drinking can affect everyone—regardless of age or drinking status.
3. Underage drinking doesn’t automatically mean your teen has AUD.
4. What tips the balance from drinking that causes impairment to drinking that jeopardizes your life varies among individuals.
5. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), about 3.4% of US teenagers ages 12 to 17 have AUD.

Adolescents tend to drink if the adults around them drink or binge drink alcohol. Read about the mental health challenges facing teenagers at Healthline and Psych Central’s Youth In Focus series, which shares useful tips, resources, and support. Underage drinking is a serious public health problem in the United States. Alcohol is the most widely used substance among America’s youth and can cause them enormous health and safety risks. If you suspect that someone is experiencing an alcohol overdose, call 911 for help immediately.

You need help right now and several organizations are ready to lend a hand. All of these factors make it important to find treatment providers who have special expertise in treating adolescents. Evaluate whether you recognize any of the following symptoms in yourself. And don’t worry—even if you do identify symptoms, there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of AUD and other alcohol-related consequences.

Diseases and Health Conditions

If you or someone you know is having an emergency, call 911 immediately. See the following for information on what to do if someone is having an alcohol overdose (also called “alcohol poisoning”) and for resources to access for a mental health emergency. However, it is still important to know how alcohol affects your health, how to identify signs of a problem, and where to get help. Facts About Teen Drinking is a resource for teens, created by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, with research-based information on underage drinking. If you need suicide- or mental health-related crisis support, or are worried about someone else, please call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat with Lifeline to connect with a trained crisis counselor.

In addition, teens need to build different skills and coping strategies than adults. Please note, adolescents have many different issues that need to be addressed in different ways, and treatments for adolescents are often different than for adults. For example, there are no alcohol treatment medications that have been approved for adolescents to use. Know where and how to get treatment and other support services steve harwell liver and resources, including counseling or therapy (in person or through telehealth services). Doctors diagnose alcohol use disorder (AUD) when a person has two or more of the symptoms listed below. What tips the balance from drinking that causes impairment to drinking that jeopardizes your life varies among individuals.

With that said, some research suggests that people who drink alone as teenagers are likely to develop AUD as adults. AUD is a condition where a person is addicted to alcohol or unable to control their alcohol use. When someone drinks frequently, their body becomes dependent on alcohol. Formerly known as alcoholism, alcohol use disorder (AUD) can affect people of all ages.

If a person drinks enough, particularly if they do so quickly, alcohol can produce a blackout. Alcohol-induced blackouts are gaps in a person’s memory for events that occurred while they were intoxicated. These gaps happen because alcohol temporarily blocks the transfer of memories from short-term to long-term storage—a process known as memory consolidation—in a brain area called the hippocampus.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), about 3.4% of US teenagers ages 12 to 17 have AUD. Parents and teachers can play a meaningful role in shaping youth’s attitudes toward drinking. Parents, in particular, can have either a positive or negative influence. Having only a couple of symptoms—which you might not consider trouble signs—can signal a drinking problem.

How to Recognize Alcoholism in Teenagers and Provide Support

Age, sensitivity to alcohol (tolerance), gender, speed of drinking, medications being taken, and amount of food eaten recently can all be factors. Alcohol overdose occurs when there is so much alcohol in the bloodstream that the areas of the brain controlling basic life-support systems—such as breathing, heart rate, and temperature control—begin to shut down. Excessive alcohol use can harm people who drink and those addiction recovery art around them. You and your community can take steps to improve everyone’s health and quality of life. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Additionally, the NIAAA notes that people who start drinking before age 15 are more than three times as likely to develop AUD as an adult than people who waited until age 21 to start drinking.

Alcohol Overdose

A large cup of beer, an overpoured glass of wine, or a single mixed drink could contain much more alcohol than a standard drink. The consequences of underage drinking can affect everyone—regardless of age or drinking status. NIAAA has information about alcohol use, alcohol use disorder, and treatment options. Also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service, this helpline provides 24-hour, free, confidential treatment referral and information about mental and/or substance use disorders, prevention, and recovery in English and Spanish. Counseling for adolescents may use different techniques and often places much greater emphasis on family therapy.

Blood alcohol concentration can continue to rise even when you stop drinking or are unconscious. Alcohol in the stomach and intestine continues to enter the bloodstream and to circulate throughout your body. If you suspect someone is experiencing an alcohol overdose, get medical help immediately. Cold showers, hot coffee, food, or walking will NOT reverse the effects of alcohol overdose and could actually make things worse. However, frequent alcohol misuse may eventually lead to AUD, according to the NIAAA.