Underage Drinking

Underage drinking is a serious health problem in the United States as of right now. Alcohol is the most used substance of abuse among teens, and drinking at such a young age can cause enormous health and safety risks. The consequences of underage drinking can affect everything and everyone around it.

As you grow older you see a lot more effects from underage drinking. Some of these include, aggressive behavior, injuries, violence, and death. Teens and young adults through the ages 12 through 20 drink 11 percent of all alcohol consumed in the United States. Although youth drink less often than adults do, bu when the youth does drink they drink until they can not drink anymore. That is because teens consume more than 90 percent of their alcohol by binge drinking. Drinking alcohol and binge drinking become more relevant to teens and becomes more popular the longer it stays.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that alcohol is a factor in the deaths of 4,358 young people under age 21 each year. Young people that are drinking underage are involved in many accidents, like, 1,580 deaths from motor vehicle crashes, 1,269 from homicides, and 492 from suicides. Drinking alcohol can cause kids to have accidents and get hurt. In 2011, about 188,000 people under the age of 21 visited an emergency room for alcohol-related injuries and deaths.

Drinking can lead to poor decision and could lead to mistakes for your future, including drinking and driving, sexual activity, and aggressive behavior. Underage teens who drink are more likely to carry out or be the victim to physical or sexual assault after drinking. Drinking as a teen may trouble in school or with the police. Drinking alcohol also is associated with the usage of drugs and sometimes teens can become abusive to these drugs. Research shows that young people's brains keep developing well into their 20s, so drinking alcohol can alter this development, because potentially affecting both brain structure and function. This may cause learning problems and can make the brain more dependent to alcohol. This is just one risk when people start drinking young and drink heavily.

As children become more dependent on themselves, they start to feel the urge to try new things and take risks. Underage drinking is something that attracts many teens all across America. Many teens want too or have already drank alcohol, but they do not fully understand the consequences of this decision. Consequences are something that happens when the wrong choice was made, so when you make the decision to drink, then you risk your life and someone else's. There are so many reasons why young teens drink alcohol ,like, peer pressure, independence, and stress. Kids today think that If I drink then I won't have to have all the worry and stress on my shoulders. These teens need to realize that the older you get the more responsibility they have.

Women's drinking patterns are different from men's . When it comes to how much and how often they drink, a women's bodies react differently to alcohol than a man's body would.That means women face more health risks from alcohol than men do. Many of these factors that make women different than a man are, women have a lower drinking ability than a man and women have less water in their bodies. Woman are more prone to health risk than a man. This is because in today's society the man thinks its okay to roofie a girls drink and take advantage of her. Not all men do this, but it's so common in today's society. Women are more likely to become ill with liver damage, heart disease, breast cancer, and pregnancy.

Underage drinking is a real issue in America right now because teens think that drinking will make them cool. Drinking is a serious issue and it can not be taken lightly. Kids are going to parties, getting drunk, and being taken advantage of. Teen girls are getting raped by being drugged. Teen males are getting killed because they think they can drink and drive. People are dying because teens think that drinking is going to make them the next best thing, but in reality you're killing your body. You could also be killing other people. Teenagers like to say I'm not that drunk, I can drive myself home, but when they actually get behind the wheel everything on them is impaired. Their vision, motor skills, and balance are all parts of the body that becomes impaired while being drunk. Those are all the major necessities that you need to have if you are going to get behind the wheel.

In the United States, getting and drinking alcohol under the age of 21 is illegal. Drinking underage comes with consequences ,like, community service, suspended license, fines and jail time. Not only do individuals put themselves in danger, but they also put others in jeopardy if they get behind the wheel of a car or become violent. Many adolescents consume most of their alcohol by binge drinking, which means they consume an excessive amount of alcohol in a short period of time. It is extremely risky behavior that can lead to problems like excessive drinking, relationships, school work and possibly professional goals.

Although you cannot force an adolescent to stay away from experimenting with alcohol, there are several ways to help prevent underage drinking. First and foremost, you should talk to the child about the dangers of drinking. Have an open conversation about peer pressure, the effects of alcohol on your body, and the emotional troubles caused by drinking. Also let your kids have a say so because kids should also have a chance to discuss how they feel, as well as ask any questions they may have. It's important for adolescents to feel at ease when talking with a family member or loved one.

This builds trust which serves as the foundation of a strong relationship. Another way to keep your child from drinking is to encourage hobbies and activities he/she likes to do. After-school activities give kids an opportunity to meet new people, stay busy and have fun doing something they actually like to do. This is also great opportunity for parents to become involved in the teens life and show support for everything they do. Perhaps the best way to prevent underage drinking, to me, is to sit down and talk to your child. Sit them down, tell them how you feel, and make them feel the worry and stress they have for you when your out drinking. Make them feel as if their life is worth living and alcohol does not need to ruin that. If that does not work then get ahold to a psychologist and see what further steps you need to take to insure your child's safety.

Drinking is the thing you do when you just want to forget. You want to forget what had happened that day or you just want to relax and have a fun night, but drinking is not fun. Drinking makes you depressed. Drinking makes you sit there and contemplate on how bad your life is. Drinking makes you do things that you regret. Teens do not understand what drinking actually does to people. Drinking can make someone kill themselves or someone else. Do you really want that guilt on your shoulder because all you wanted was too forget everything. Most of my friends drink, and it is hard to get away from in a small community, but I finally realized what I have been needing to do to help that situation. All I did was, get new friends.

Real friends do not peer pressure you into doing something you do not feel comfortable doing. They would respect you and your decision. Nowadays, kids think that their parents are just being mean and do not want them to go anywhere, but the truth is, they just love you. They care about you coming home safely every night, they care a lot more than you think. They love you so much that they are willing to do everything possible to make you stay home so they know your safe and nothing can harm you. Parents do not want to get a phone call at three o'clock in the morning saying there has been an accident.

Your parents want the world for you. You just have to let them in so they can give it to you. Everyone cares, nobody is going to judge you for a few mistakes because most likely once in there life they messed up and was forgiven. Just know that making one mistake will not hurt you, it is what you do after that. Eleanor Roosevelt once said With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts. If anyone you know is having trouble with alcohol related issues, tell them you love them, because right now that is probably the thing they really need.

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