Teen Alcoholism

Teens naturally want to feel good, and when something makes you feel good, such as taking a drink, it's understandable they will want to repeat the experience. That "click" is the first warning sign of potential problems. Teen alcoholism progresses as alcohol abuse changes their brain chemistry. When brain chemicals are increased or decreased, the body craves more and more alcohol. The body "needs" the alcohol to feel good. Teen alcoholism has set in.

Teen alcoholism, which is also known as "alcohol dependence syndrome," is a problem that is characterized by the following elements:

Craving: A strong need, or compulsion, to drink.
Loss of control: The frequent inability to stop drinking once a person has begun.
Physical dependence: The occurrence of withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety, when alcohol use is stopped after a period of heavy drinking. These symptoms are usually relieved by drinking alcohol or by taking another sedative drug.
Tolerance: The need for increasing amounts of alcohol in order to get "high."

Teen alcoholism has little to do with what kind of alcohol one drinks, how long one has been drinking, or even exactly how much alcohol one consumes. But it has a great deal to do with a teen's uncontrollable need for alcohol.

This description of teen alcoholism helps us understand why most alcoholics can't just "use a little willpower" to stop drinking. He or she is frequently in the grip of a powerful craving for alcohol, a need that can feel as strong as the need for food or water. While some teens are able to recover without help, the majority of adolescents with teen alcoholism need outside assistance to recover from their problem. With support and treatment, many individuals are able to stop drinking and rebuild their lives.

Many parents wonder: Why can some teens use alcohol without problems, while others are utterly unable to control their drinking? Recent research supported by NIAAA has demonstrated that for many people, a vulnerability to alcoholism is inherited. Yet it is important to recognize that aspects of a person's environment, such as peer influences and the availability of alcohol, also are significant influences. Both inherited and environmental influences are called "risk factors." But risk is not destiny. Just because alcoholism tends to run in families doesn't mean that a child of an alcoholic parent will automatically develop teen alcoholism.

Family risk factors for teen alcoholism include low parent supervision or communication, family conflicts, inconsistent or severe parental discipline, and a family history of alcohol or drug abuse. Individual risk factors include problems managing impulses, emotional instability, thrill-seeking behaviors, and perceiving the risk of using alcohol to be low. Girls who drink, as well as teens who begin drinking prior to the age of 14 years and those whose mothers have drinking problems, are more likely to develop teen alcoholism. Teen risk factors for alcoholism differ a bit between the 14- to 16-year-old and 16- to 18-year-old age groups, in that 16- to 18-year-olds tend to be less likely to drink in excess when they have a close relationship with their mothers.

How can you tell whether your son or daughter is suffering with teen alcoholism? Asking them the following four questions can help you find out. (To help remember these questions, note that the first letter of a key word in each of the four questions spells "CAGE.")

Have you ever felt you should Cut down on your drinking?
Have people Annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
Have you ever felt bad or Guilty about your drinking?
Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover (Eye opener)?

One "yes" response suggests a possible teen alcohol problem. If they responded "yes" to more than one question, it is highly likely that a problem exists.

Because alcohol is so prevalent in our society, because it is so widely accepted if not embraced, it is difficult to see when a teen is slipping from social drinking into something more problematic. The individual who is on the downward slide is not likely to recognize any of the signs and therefore needs others to intercede. We encourage you to examine these risk factors and causes of teen alcoholism to see if there is a problem in your life, or with someone you love, or someone you know. If there is, please seek the help of an alcohol treatment professional.