Alcoholism Among Adolescents & Remedies

Alcoholism isn't just a problem for adults. Alcohol is the chosen recreational drug for the majority of American adolescents, and the problems of drinking at such an early, developmental life stage can have far-reaching effects. Luckily, alcoholism is a treatable disease. Methods used to treat adult alcoholics, however, don't always apply as successfully to young people.

Facts

• According to a 1998 study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, there were 10.4 million alcohol drinkers between the ages of 12 and 20, and nearly half were considered binge drinkers, consuming five or more alcoholic drinks in one sitting during the past month. In a similar study by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), researchers discovered that youths who had begun drinking before the age of 15 are four times more likely to become dependent on alcohol later in life than those who begin drinking at the legal age. Adolescents are at greater risk for addictive behavior because their brains are still developing and changing.

Treatment

• Talking to an adolescent who displays alcoholic tendencies is the first step in the adolescent's recovery. According to a 2006 NIAAA report, young people require different needs than their adult counterparts when it comes to treatment. For example, they prefer to undergo treatment with others their own age and to stay within their home or school setting. Also, adolescents are more likely to have co-existing problems with depression, mood swings or addictions to other drugs (particularly marijuana) in addition to their alcohol dependence.

Alternatives

• Interventions staged by family, educators or medical professionals are useful in helping an adolescent recognize the seriousness of his problem before it progresses to worse stages. The presence of parents is also important because family history might play a role in further development of alcohol dependency. Repeated interventions have been found to be more successful than single instances, and therapy involving family members can help parents and teen-agers understand how their interactions influence risk behavior. Clinics involving overnight or multi-day stays that have been modified for youth are another option for adolescents with severe alcohol dependency.

Conclusion

• No matter what course of action you take, care must be taken in approaching an alcoholic teen-ager. Adults going through the same problems display extreme behavioral changes and denial; this combined with the psychological upheaval that sometimes accompanies adolescence can raise the possibility of further alienating a young alcoholic. It is best that the parents or guardians---whomever is the most trusted in the eyes of the adolescent---speak frankly but lovingly. According to the NIAAA, parents across all ethnic and racial lines have been found to have the most influence in whether their children drink or, if already drinking heavily, seek help.