Alcohol use in adolescents is a serious concern in the United States. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that adolescent alcohol use is more widespread than adolescent tobacco or illicit drug use. The risks of alcohol...
Adolescence is a time of experimentation and risk taking. Teens naturally test the boundaries laid down by their parents and society as they strive to establish their independence and dabble in adult experiences. Unfortunately, their natural...
Teenagers start using drugs and alcohol for many reasons. They might be pressured into it, try to cope with feelings of depression or make an impulsive decision to use at a party. Some develop drug problems and need treatment.
Alcoholism affects adolescents in many ways. The children of alcoholic parents are more likely to become alcoholics themselves because of their genes and the ramifications of living with an alcoholic, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and...
Alcohol is the most common drug used by youth in the United States. Alcohol abuse by adolescents can result in early addiction, various health problems and even death. Parents, schools and government agencies are exploring various ways to...
Alcohol use by adolescents runs the spectrum from one-time experimentation to problematic use to full-blown alcoholism. Teens who find themselves repeatedly drinking to excess and getting in trouble with the law, at school or at home may require...
Although drinking under the age of 21 is illegal, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the average age of first use of alcohol among adolescents is 14. Alcoholism in teenagers can cause potentially lasting damage....
Adolescent drug experimentation and use in the United States is common, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Signs of adolescent drug abuse include loss of interest in hobbies and activities; abandoning old friends...
Although an isolated drink on occasion is unlikely to have long-term effects on your metabolism, chronic drinking will, over time. If you force your body to metabolize alcohol over and over again, it can eventually interfere with the processing of...
Alcohol abuse and dependence has many detrimental effects not only on the alcoholic himself but on his family. While he may hide his drinking from the outside world, at home there are no secrets. Families are often too ashamed or too afraid to...
Drinking in front of children can be a harmless activity as long as the children are taught about the possible hazards involved with alcohol by close, loving parents. Neglect and abuse, however, may lead to troubles for children of drinkers as...
Alcohol is a mind-altering drug sold legally in the form of beverages to people over 21 years of age. It is consumed for its depressant effects, which include euphoria, increased sociability and reduced inhibitions. Despite its popularity and...
Drug abuse is the misuse of mind-altering substances like illicit and prescription drugs. It affects not only the drug abuser, but entire families, often leading to long-term emotional and financial problems. The physical and psychological...
Adolescents with substance abuse problems require special treatment considerations. In a nationwide sample, 7 percent of adolescents met criteria for alcohol, marijuana or hard drug abuse/dependence, according to a 2000 study published by Dean G....
The teenage years are a high-risk time period for alcohol addiction. Further, the effects of alcohol addiction can interrupt the development of skills required for healthy, productive living. Worse, teenagers addicted to alcohol are more likely to...
Alcohol and tobacco are some of the most commonly used mind-altering substances in the world. As such, problems caused by abuse of these drugs can be seen within individuals, families and communities everywhere. Understanding the potential...
The American Medical Association reports that 11 million young people under the age of 21 consume alcohol. About 50 percent drink heavily, amounting to five or more drinks in one sitting, up to two times in a 14-day period. Underage drinking is a...
Kids who drink are more likely to become victims of crime, develop problems in school and suffer injury in alcohol-related car accidents, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Parents fret that the influences outside...
Children with bipolar disorder struggle at home, with friends and in school. NAMI, the National Alliance for Mental Illness, describes bipolar as a chronic, lifelong condition involving recurring episodes of depression and mania lasting from days...
There are a wide variety of treatment approaches for alcohol and drug dependence, each of which can be effective for different people. People looking for a program for substance abuse should find a treatment center that offers an approach best...
Alcoholism in a family has usually devastating effects on the children. Because alcoholism is often long term and a brain-related illness, it is often difficult for the alcohol abuser to stop abusing. The family usually takes on unhealthy roles in...
While many productive adults may look upon their own teen drinking as a harmless rite of passage, others can attest to alcohol’s corrosive effects on youth as far as achievement and a future are concerned. Teenagers as a class are not viewed...
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, approximately half of all high school seniors have tried marijuana at least once in their lifetime, while about a fifth has used the drug within a month. The reason this drug is so widely used is...
Alcoholism devastates families. The emotional trauma linked to this addiction affects spouses, parents, siblings and children. Anxiety, depression and other mental health issues associated with alcoholism can remain long after an alcoholic quits...
Alcoholism is a mental health disorder that generally develops over time as a person's desire to drink and need to drink in larger quantities to induce pleasurable effects increases. Some alcoholics continue for many years to function adequately...
Alcohol and drug use in adolescence can lead to development delays in addition to creating a host of other problems for teenagers. According to the University of Minnesota, teenage alcohol and drug abuse is a major social ill that, when caught...
More than 5,000 deaths of people under the age of 21 are linked to alcohol every year, according to Focus Adolescent Services. And the three leading causes of deaths among 15- to 24-year-olds are car crashes, homicides and suicides, with alcohol...
Alcoholism can adversely impact your personal and professional life. Extensive and long-term drinkers may face many serious health complications. The Mayo Clinic reports adolescents who begin drinking in their early teenage years are more likely...
The teenage years are a time when young people try to form an identity and fit in with their peers. They're usually under pressure to perform at school and at sports. Getting into college is competitive and many teens are afraid of disappointing...
