The effects of alcohol on teenagers are more harmful than adults. Consumption of alcohol can have various effects on the brain, as they are still in the developing state of adolescence and well into young adulthood.
Effects Of Alcohol On The Brain
When people consume alcohol, it is mainly absorbed into the bloodstream.
Effects of alcohol on the brain can have adversely affected its function and lead to damage. Memory, motor, and coordination skills are particularly affected. The serious impacts which alcohol cause are:
- Slurred speech
- Poor muscle control and judgment
- Confusion
- Slower reactions
- Poor vision
- Lack of coordination
- Sleep disruption
- Impulse control and language
- Decision making
- Learning ability
Additionally, the effects of alcohol on the brain stops the communication between nerve cells and other cells of the body. The actions of the neurotransmitters in the brain, are particularly altered.
A person, who consumes alcohol, at early state is likely to cause injury or are more prone to ill-health, and thus are at a greater risk of altering the brain development. Overall, it can have negative effects on the whole body, mood, and mental health.
Alcoholism And Teens
In alcoholism, a person consuming alcohol does not know how much and how frequently, they are consuming alcohol and its negative effects on their lives. Symptoms of alcoholism include – tolerance to alcohol, withdrawal, alcohol consumption for longer periods of time and problems managing life issues due to alcohol. The effects of alcoholism may be caused by a number of individual, family, genetic, and social factors. Additionally, a number of genes, also play a role in the development of alcoholism.
Physical Effects Of Alcohol In Teenagers
When a teenage consumes alcohol, they can have both short-term and long-term impacts, also referred to as risky behaviors. People increase the alcohol-related harms, by the way, they drink, the culture that supports their drinking and how much they drink. It is important to change the attitudes of the communities, surrounding alcohol, and stop underage drinking.
Teenagers are at a possibility of injury, and the occurrence of risky behaviors is high when alcohol is consumed. In young adults, they are often associated with physical injury, sexual behavior at a risk, unfavorable behavioral patterns, and failure in academics. Drinking alcohol, in adolescents, let them get involved in fights.
Mental Health Problems in Teenagers
The effects of alcohol on teenagers can even lead them to depression, self-harm, and even suicide, and can have effects on social problems even. Consumption of alcohol may even contribute to poor mental health. Depression is more likely to occur in adolescents, who use drinking as a method of coping, and in turn can drink heavily, leading to suicidal behavior.
Effects Of Alcohol In Teenagers
The effects of underage drinking or the effects of alcohol on teenagers play an important role in risky sexual behaviors, which includes unwanted, unintended, and unprotected sexual activity, and sex with multiple partners. As a result, this kind of sexual behavior, can increase the risk for unplanned pregnancy and can easily be infected with sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection.
Teenage drinking also increases the risk of physical and sexual assault and is often associated with the illicit drug and tobacco use. The effects of underage drinking, can also, cause a range of physical consequences, from hangovers to death from alcohol poisoning.
Effects of underage drinking can lead them to loud and rude behavior, destruction of property, unintentional injuries, violence, and even death.
Alcohol if consumed during pregnancy, may result in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, which includes fetal alcohol syndrome, the main cause of mental retardation, in children. Heavy and continuous drinking of alcohol, leads increased risk across the lifespan and can lead to certain medical problems, such as cancers of the oral cavity, larynx, pharynx, and esophagus; liver cirrhosis; pancreatitis; and hemorrhagic stroke.
Teenage drinking is related to ‘Binge Drinking’(R), where a person consumes large quantities of alcohol in a single session. It Is usually when a man consumes, five or more drinks at one time, and when a woman consumes four or more drinks at one time.
The effects of alcohol, in the teens, decrease his/her ability to pay attention and tend to have difficulties with memory. Teenagers tend to alcohol abuse with other substances, usually marijuana(R), cocaine, or heroin, the most commonly used illicit drugs.
Alcoholic children from such families are more likely to become alcoholics, in comparison to families with no alcoholic adults. They require special consideration when addressing underage drinking.
Treatment And Diagnosis
Diagnosis for alcoholism is done by evaluation method, where an individual shows the symptoms of drinking on a regular basis. Treatment for alcoholism is usually treated based on the addiction stage, risk factors management and by educating and providing residential treatment followed by long-term outpatient care and support.
