The Effects of Teenage Alcoholism on Society
Teenage alcoholism can have severe effects on society. According to Learn About Alcoholism, "more than 3 million teens are alcoholics. Several million more engage in problem drinking, such as binge drinking." Also, "More than 5000 teens die each year in alcohol-related deaths. This includes car crashes, homicides, and suicides." Further, teenage alcoholism can have severe health effects and negative effects on the family.
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Health Effects
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I'll be OK. According to the Teen Drug Abuse website, "Long-term risks include liver damage, pancreatitis, certain cancers, and literal shrinkage of the brain." But added to that, teenagers are in a period of physical, intellectual and emotional growth. And drinking alcohol can be an adverse effect. "Exposing the brain to alcohol during this period may interrupt key processes of brain development, possibly leading to mild cognitive impairment as well as to a further escalation of drinking." So an effect on society will not only include an elevated strain on our medical facilities but also that more teenagers will be introduced into society without the ability to function at their full potential as adults
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Drinking and Driving
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It just happened, it wasn't my fault According to Teen Drug Abuse, "The rate of fatal crashes among alcohol-involved drivers between 16 and 20 years old is more than twice the rate for alcohol-involved drivers 21 and older." So teenage alcoholism puts an added strain on police forces and makes the streets and highways more dangerous. Added to that, insurance rates go up for all families who have teenagers who are old enough to drive, even if they don't drink. Also, immature drinking contests cause a significant amount of deaths from alcohol poisoning.
Teenage Alcoholism and Sex
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I know what I'm doing. According to a study at the University of St. Louis School of Medicine in 2000, "teenagers with alcohol abuse/dependence are 7.36 times more likely to have ever had sexual intercourse than those who do not drink." Also, teenagers who use alcohol are more likely to be either offenders or victims of sexual assault. Therefore, if there is increased sexual activity among alcoholic teenagers, then their effects on society would include a higher number of teenage pregnancies and wider spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
Strain on Families
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I'm right; you're all wrong. Rebellious and hostile alcoholic teenagers alienate their families and not only create a strain for their parents, but also set a bad example for their siblings. The family members carry this strain in all their activities and cause negative effects in their work, in their personal activities and their studies. Also teenage alcoholism puts a strain on their parents to intervene and, therefore, spend valuable time in which they could be doing things more constructive for the family or for their careers.
Treatment and Intervention Resources
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The road to recovery The American Medical Association defines alcoholism as a "chronic disease with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations." But alcoholism is treatable and a wide variety of programs are available. Alcoholics Anonymous has telephone numbers listed in most telephone books and also maintains a website at http://www.aa.org. AA provides information, counseling and treatment at no cost. Also your health-care professional can provide treatment and/or counseling or refer you to an addiction therapy specialist.
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- Photo Credit "Teaching a Teenager to Drive and Driving" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: Mike "Dakinewavamon" Kline (MIke Kline) under the Creative Commons Attribution license. "Esperando" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: G.Rivas.V. (Gustavo Rivas Valderrama) under the Creative Commons Attribution license. "Overturned Car on Capital Beltway [really bad day]" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: woodleywonderworks (woodley wonderworks) under the Creative Commons Attribution license. "playground.jpg" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: mant (a.k.a matt Webb) under the Creative Commons Attribution license. "The Quarterback from Hell" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: foundphotoslj under the Creative Commons Attribution license. "Refurbished Images" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: © Photography By CalvinCropley (Calvin Cropley) under the Creative Commons Attribution license.
