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 playing a lead role in all three. These statistics tell only part of a story that parents and caregivers need to pay closer attention to.
Genetics
Teens who are children of alcoholics are four times more likely to become alcoholics themselves, as stated by Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Help. Parents need to present a good example for their teens if they want the best possible life for their teens.
Peer Pressure
Peer pressure can be a powerful tool when it comes to coercing a teen to partake in an alcoholic beverage. However, once he feels he is accepted, he will correlate his acceptance with the alcohol, and before long, addiction sets in.
Depression
According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, teens who are depressed are at a greater risk for developing a dependency on alcohol than other teens who experiment. Alcohol is a depressant and works on the central nervous system, making one feel even more depressed as she continues drinking. This sparks the urge to continue drinking with the belief that eventually she will begin to feel better; somehow, the alcohol will make her hurt go away. In actuality, it's making her problems only worse.
Promiscuity
Teen Drug Abuse states that teens who drink large amounts of alcohol are prone to sexual promiscuity because of impaired judgment. This can mean multiple sexual partners, unprotected sex or both. In the end, the result can be an unwanted teen pregnancy or the transmission of a sexually transmitted disease, such as HIV/AIDS.
Drunken Driving
Drinking and driving, perhaps one of the most tragic effects of teen alcoholism, is the leading cause of death among youths aged 15 to 20. The rate of fatal crashes of adolescents between the ages of 16 and 20 because of drivers who were drunk is twice the number of crashes ending in fatalities because of drunk drivers who are over the age of 21.
Loss of Memory Skills
Teenage alcoholism also affects the brain. According to Teen Drug Abuse, teens of ages 15 and 16 and considered alcohol dependent were tested with teens considered non-dependent. After a 10-minute break, those deemed alcohol dependent were unable to remember simple words and geometric designs, proving that alcoholism affects short-term memory.
