Alcohol Abuse in Teens

When it comes to Alcohol Abuse in Teens, it really can start at any age. I know people who had their first drink at the ripe ol' age of 7, and yet others whom have never touched any kind of substance.

I think the biggest thing we all face in this day and age would have to be Substance Abuse of one form or another. Alcohol Misuse in Teens is on the rise and the statistics are ridiculous. Where I grew up there wasn't much to do, so most every weekend was spent partying at someone's house.

And I mean partying with about 3-400 other people who happened to show up. It was a small town that if someone heard you were having a party or your parents where out of town, then everyone knew about it.

Which meant that you would have 14 year olds drinking and partying it up with 30+ year olds.

Now back in the day I thought it was fun to be a teen drinker, but I can still remember the day we all found out my friend had alcohol poisoning, the time someone else used a chainsaw while drunk and severely injured their family member (I wasn't there for that one), the time someone's house got so trashed there was $40,000 worth of damage done to the house and the day someone else jumped off the stage at a high school dance (it was because of our school high schools in Ontario have a breathalyzer at them).

They all seem pretty shocking right? Well they are and they were. In a small town community everyone knew what happened and that party with the house damage I mentioned above? Yup I was there.

I still remember when my mom came up to me the next morning asking me if I was there. I told her yes but we'd only stayed for about 20 minutes then we left. Sadly, she didn't believe me and yelled at me for about an hour telling me I was going to have to work to pay for the damage.

Two things happened that day. 1) I was accused of doing something I didn't do, and 2) I fought back. Yes I was there. Yes I had seen some people there and Yes I liked to drink and party. But if there was one thing my friends and I would never do was trash someone's house.

I don't know what it was but that day I got soooo mad with my mom because it took forever for her to believe that my friends and I had stayed for a short time, and then left, and that we had nothing to do with what happened after that. What made her finally believe me? I have no idea.

Maybe it was because I told her fine, I didn't do the damamge, my friends didn't do the damage, but whatever I'll pay for it. Maybe it was because I explained the story over and over in the exact same words. Whatever it was, I was fuming for being blamed.

The only reason I mention this story is because it goes to show how far Alcohol Abuse in Teens does go. This girls parents where out of town for the weekend and returned to a destroyed home. To this day I have no idea who did what to that house but I felt pretty bad for the girl who lived there.

Wondering What You Can do about Alcohol Abuse in Teens?

***Here is an article I found by Brian Garvin. He's got some great Information on Alcohol Abuse and about what a parent can do to educate themselves. Go ahead and read it and I'll see you at the bottom of his statement.

How to Properly Prevent Teenage Substance Abuse

How to Properly Prevent Teenage Substance Abuse
By Brian Garvin

It is essential that parents and other individuals that work directly with teenagers know and understand how to properly prevent teenage substance abuse. Abuse of various types of substances such as alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, prescription medications, stimulants, and even certain over-the-counter drugs is quite prevalent among the teenagers of today.

A study conducted on teens to the age of seventeen was conducted and it was found that over one million individuals in this age group have some type of dependence on substances, and another million are said to have an inclination towards addiction involving alcohol. These statistics are staggering! In this guide, you will learn how to properly prevent teenage substance abuse.

1. If you are an adult that is dedicated to the pursuit of learning how to properly prevent teenage substance abuse, it is important to know that the first step to assisting our youth is to learn the symptoms that may indicate that an issue is occurring. There are numerous signs of potential drug and alcohol abuse.

These signs may include social isolation, personality changes, a loss of interest in activities and people that once drew the attention of the teenager, weight loss, a drop in grades, and several other symptoms. You may research these symptoms online, check out books at your local library, purchase books from your local bookstore, and even consult a medical professional that works with youth that suffer from a dependency to various types of substances.

2. The next way to properly prevent teenage substance abuse is to learn as much as you possibly can about the various types of substances that teens find attractive. You should research alcohol, amphetamines, cocaine, crack, crystal meth, and various other types of drugs. You should learn the symptoms associated with each and other

vitally important information. By learning about the drugs available today, you can potentially stop an issue that your teen may experience before it becomes an addiction.

3. It is important to take steps in your home that will deter substance abuse. Many teens find over-the-counter cough and cold medications, as well as prescription medications very appealing. They believe since the medications are legal that they do not pose a threat to their health. You can prevent the abuse of medications by keeping any and all that you have in the home locked up.

4. The next step to successfully preventing teenage substance abuse is to ensure that you educate the teenager in your life. They should be taught about the drugs on the street and in the home, and be informed of the mental and physiological dangers that may occur as a result of taking the substances in a recreational manner.

You should set clear guidelines and expectations with the teenager so that they know and completely understand that indulging in recreational drug activity is restricted, and that if it is indulged in, corrective action will be put into place. You could mention limiting their freedom, restricting their dating, or even integrating the use of a drug rehabilitation facility.

5. If you feel as if a teenager is already indulging in recreational drug use, you should seek medical assistance immediately. This is a successful strategy to decrease the possibility that teenage substance abuse will continue. This may be a difficult step, but it is a productive step.

There are many steps to properly preventing teenage substance abuse. If you follow the steps listed here, you will likely deter the teenager in your life from beginning the dangerous cycle of substance abuse.

Let Brian Garvin & Jeff West give you a closer look at Substance Abuse Intervention and find out the benefits of Drugs Intervention for you or someone you care about with a Substance Abuse Problem.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brian_Garvin
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Properly-Prevent-Teenage-Substance-Abuse&id=2663661

Great story and Fantastic tips Brian! His knowledge is essential to having open communication with your alcohol abusing teen.

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