Reasons for Early Alcohol Use

Adolescents are faced with many challenges as they approach adulthood and drinking alcohol may feel like a solution to solve their angst. According to Mayo Clinic.com, kids are more vulnerable to serious automobile accidents and early sexual activity while under the influence of alcohol. Teenage drinking creates both short term and long term issues -- often leading to adult alcohol addiction.

Family

• Family problems and issues greatly affect all facets of young people's lives. Parents who argue and fight frequently often cause children to retreat and seek alcoholic beverages for solace. If parents are too lenient and fall short of adequate supervision, that often gives kids the green light to drink. If parents are too strict kids can rebel and sneak alcohol. Excessive family drinking, with blatant intoxication, will often cause kids to follow suit -- thinking this behavior is acceptable. Offering young kids an alcoholic beverage is another factor enabling teen drinking.

Peer Pressure

• Young kids often want to be part of the popular group at school; unfortunately that group may be one that drinks alcohol on a regular basis. Sneaking booze -- with friends -- from parents' liquor cabinets is another way to be cool with friends. Young kids might feel part of the group by getting drunk and daring each other to do dangerous things. It is also easy to find someone of drinking age to purchase beer and wine at convenience markets. Binge drinking can give young kids confidence and the feeling they are able to keep up with their friends.

Life Issues

• General angst about life is a major cause of young drinking. Constant moves to new places -- with all of the adjustments -- can create depression and sadness. This can lead kids to choose the wrong friends and experiment with alcohol. Struggling with school work or failing are other reasons to hit the bottle. Disappointments in life, that adults know how to deal with, do not come easy for young kids. Breaking up of a romantic relationship, a disloyal friend, not making a team and feeling left out are earmarks for possible alcohol abuse.

Mental and Emotional Problems

• Sometimes teenagers have a history of emotional and mental problems. They may experience difficulty dealing with life in general; and growing up for them can be a painful process. Parents should be aware of violent streaks or retreating from the world and get professional help. Young people with suicidal tendencies can often be driven to excessive drinking. The opportunity to drink with friends or even alone temporarily removes the feeling of having to deal with life.

Solutions

• Setting a good example for your kids is the number one way to help steer teens away from alcohol. Parents who have an occasional glass of wine or cocktail will not lead young kids to the liquor cabinet. Look for signs of depression and unhappiness; and encourage your kids to get active in school projects and sports. Communicate often about risks of alcohol and stay in touch with your kids.