Teen and Young Adult Alcohol Abuse

Alcohol abuse in teens and young adults is the major cause of deaths in this age group for alcohol-related motor vehicle accidents. Alcohol is also found to be the cause of many deaths by drowning, suicide or homicide. Young people who drink have been found through research to be more sexually active than their peers and to engage in high-risk sex that may expose them to STDs, sexual abuse or date rape.

Risk Factors

There are some risk factors that are obviously not good ideas, but people do them anyway. Other risk factors are built into our social fabric. U.S. studies have shown that drinking at an early age often leads to problem drinking and alcohol abuse. Family history is also a risk factor for those with parents, siblings or close relatives with alcohol problems. Drinking too much for too long or bingeing can get you into trouble. Many times, overdrinking is also seen in those with anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, dependence on other drugs and bipolar disorder.

Having friends who often drink heavily could increase your chances of becoming a problem drinker. For those with low self-esteem, peer pressure is a powerful force. A stressful lifestyle may contribute to your need to drink. And the media plays its hand in dealing out glamorous images of the beautiful people sipping eye-catching drinks.

Treatment

There are two philosophical camps when one talks about treatment outcomes, and they determine the treatment course. One camp is about zero tolerance, and the other camp is about managing alcohol intake. Most drug agencies and counselors agree that the zero-tolerance philosophy is the best solution to this terrible problem. Typical treatments include drug detoxification, in which the alcoholic gets off of alcohol. Because of the nature of alcohol withdrawal, this often requires the use of medical supervision because a long-time alcoholic could suffer fatal seizures. This period may take months, or for as long as depression and anxiety last. On average, research has shown that it takes one year of complete abstinence to recover one’s cognitive effects from chronic alcoholism. Patience and perseverance are key when it comes to recovering from alcohol addiction.