What are the Effects of Alcohol Abuse on Teens?

It’s a well-known fact that alcohol abuse has become quite common among teens. As per a recent study, it has been concluded that almost 80 percent of high school students, who are apparently teens, drink alcohol and over 40 percent of the students begin trying alcohol by the eighth standard. That’s quite alarming per se. Though we know it has become a common problem, we cannot ignore the fact that it’s something related to growing up.

Alcohol abuse can lead to some serious consequences in a teen’s normal life, affecting their health. Their social life can also see a major change if a teen is addicted to drinking. Major health problems, social problems, and psychological problems can develop with alcoholism if it is not stopped or controlled at the right time.

Here are some of the notable negative effects of alcohol abuse on teens:

Emotional Problems

A plethora of emotional problems develop when teens start consuming alcohol. Anxiety and depression are some of the common emotional problems teens likely to develop due to alcohol abuse. Studies have revealed that girls in the eighth grade, who are highly addicted to alcohol, are three times more likely to attempt suicide than girls in their grade who don’t. On the other hand, girls aged between 12 and 16 who drink are four times more likely to suffer from depression than the girls who don’t drink.

Behavioral problems

Teens develop a lot of behavioral problems when they are heavily addicted to alcohol. They have an increased risk of social problems, suicidal thoughts, violence, and depression. Another study has revealed that about 39 percent of teens display behavioral problems and 31 percent suffer extreme levels of psychological distress because of alcohol abuse. Regular alcohol consumption can also lead to developing higher levels of aggressiveness, hyperactivity, and attention-deficit disorder.

Risky Sexual Activity

Teens addicted to alcohol are more likely to get involved in an unprotected sexual activity. This can lead to some serious risks such as sexual assault, STDs or even teen pregnancy.

Academic Problems

When teens are high on alcohol, they do not tend to pay any attention towards their academics. As a result, they are dropped out of the schools. Research has shown that teen drinkers score worse in the examination compared to those who do not drink.

Psychological Problems

As discussed previously, teens that drink alcohol develop psychological problems. Heavy drinking can lead to some serious mental disorders or other nervous system problems.

Car Accidents

One of the major causes of teen deaths is related to alcohol-related traffic accidents. A recent report has shown that the reason behind the killing of the 28 percent of teens aged between 15 and 20 years is because they had been drinking.

Drug Abuse

Alcohol is often considered as a major gateway to other illicit substances. Teens with drinking habit are more likely to use other drugs such as marijuana, heroin or cocaine than the non-drinking teens.

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