Call 800-580-9104 to speak with an alcohol or drug abuse counselor.

Who Answers?

5 Dangers Associated with Teenagers and Alcohol Abuse

About Teenagers and Alcohol Abuse

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, approximately 10.4 million people between the age of 12 and 20 had tried alcohol by age 15, and at least fifty percent of teenagers have had at least one full drink. Furthermore, by age 18, more than 70% of teens have had at least one drink.

Alcohol abuse is perceived to be fun and enjoyable for many teenagers, but it also leads to numerous accidental deaths and it can be dangerous. Many teenagers think drinking alcohol is okay since it is legal, and since they see others doing it, but since teenager’s brains are still developing, they are at a higher risk for making poorer decisions while they are under the influence of alcohol.

Five Dangers Associated with Alcohol Abuse and Teenagers

Drinking alcohol often causes teens to engage in risky behavior, such as drinking and driving.

There are numerous dangers associated with teenagers and alcohol abuse, since alcohol abuse will result in teenagers making poorer decisions. Below is a list if five of the main dangers associated with teenage alcohol abuse.

Incidents Causing Death: A teenager’s prefrontal cortex, which is the decision maker of the brain, has not fully developed, which is why teenagers commonly engage in more risky and dangerous activities than adults. When alcohol abuse is in the picture, a teenager is more likely to engage in dangerous activities, and some of these activities can lead to accidental deaths.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, on average, 5,000 people under the age of 21 die every year from alcohol related incidents, such as suicides, car crashes, homicides, alcohol poisoning, and other injuries such as burns, falls, and drowning.

Increased Sexual Activity: Alcohol abuse can lead to increased sexual activity due to the impairment of judgment that the substance causes. This can lead to unwanted pregnancies and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

Injuries: A teenager under the influence of alcohol is more prone to injuries since their coordination will become altered, and their judgment impaired.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, in 2008, there were approximately 200,000 people under the age of 21, who visited an emergency room for alcohol related injuries.

Poor Decisions: Many poor decisions can be made while a person is under the influences of alcohol, and some of these decisions can come back and haunt a person after they sober up. Many teenagers get in fights with close friends while they are drinking, or become violent, which could land them in jail.

Physical Health and Brain Damage: One of the biggest dangers of teenage alcohol abuse is the physical damage it causes to a teenager’s body. Most people who abuse alcohol feel sick the next day, and large amounts of alcohol abuse can lead to alcohol poisoning, and cause damage to their brain.

More Treatment & Detox Articles

Alcohol on the brain: a look at the long term

For years, Ben had assumed all alcoholics were homeless men huddling below bridges inside cardboard boxes and nursing bottles out of paper bags like he saw in movies. But that was before Ben began college and came to know an alcoholic much more personally — himself. In less than one semester, Ben, who did not….

One for the road? Film forces France to admit its drinking problem

One for the Road, the real-life story of a journalist’s battle with alcohol, sparks debate over the country’s self-image as a nation of moderate wine-lovers The posters, on hoardings across France, show a slightly dishevelled media executive in his 50s, on a jetty, a bag in his hand, a Swiss lake behind, staring with vacant,….

Alcohol's Effects: Old vs. Young People

Study Shows Older People Less Likely to Realize How Alcohol Is Affecting Them Social drinking seems to impair older people more than their younger drinking buddies. Also, older people are less likely to realize how the alcohol is affecting them, according to a new study. The study, published in The Journal of Studies on Alcohol….

New Research Improves Early Detection And Survival For Pancreatic Cancer

There are new and innovative methods to better understand the risk factors for and improve earlier detection of pancreatic cancer. Specifically, researchers can demonstrate that the development of, new biomarkers, novel treatment targets, innovative approaches to screening and surveillance and improved understanding of risk factors can lead to diagnosis of pancreatic cancer at earlier more….

Alcohol Deaths

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that more young people today are dying from alcohol-related accidents. Among 18 to 24 year olds, the number of deaths has risen by over 20 percent in the last ten years. “I woke up in the driver’s side seat, blood all over me, glass everywhere. The….