• Make sure your children know the basic facts about drinking:
  • Drinking Alcohol can lead to
    • Slower reflexes
    • Distorted vision
    • Loss of coordination
    • Memory lapses and even blackouts
    • Poor judgment and lowered inhibitions
      • Which can lead to risky behaviors like:
        • Driving while drunk
        • Having unprotected sex;
      • Drinking large quantities of alcohol at one time or very rapidly can cause potentially fatal alcohol poisoning
      • It is illegal to possess or obtain alcohol under the age of 21. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
• Before you begin a discussion with your teen about drinking, realize that teens drink for a number of reasons such as
  • Being bored
  • Wanting to celebrate
  • “Blowing off steam"
  • Looking for a way to escape daily challenges
  • Peer pressure
• When discussing teen drinking, set boundaries and make your child aware of the personal consequences of drinking such as
  • Losing their place on a team
  • Hurting their chances for a scholarship
  • Losing driving privileges
  • Hurting or killing someone and have to live with the guilt. (MADD – Mothers Against Drunk Driving)
• If you think your teenager isn’t drinking, think again.
  • More than 10 percent of eighth graders, 21 percent of sophomores and 28 percent of seniors report recent binge drinking. (Federal Trade Commission)
• Help your child handle situations and resist peer pressure
  • When they are offered alcohol, many teens say they prefer quick “one-liners” to get around taking a drink, and avoid making a scene. Here are some sample comebacks to drink offers – from mild to assertive:
    • No thanks
    • I don’t feel like it- do you have any soda?
    • Alcohol’s NOT my thing.
    • Are you talking to me? Forget it.
    • Why do you keep pressuring me when I’ve said NO?
    • Back off!

More information on Alcoholism

• Alcoholism Overview
  • Learn more about the symptoms and definition of alcoholism
• Is there a cure for alcoholism?
  • Alcoholism is a treatable disease, this page answers the simple question is there a cure for alcoholism?
• What are the signs of alcoholism?
  • A brief questionnaire that was developed by Dr. John Ewing dives into signs of alcoholism
• Alcoholism Treatment Options
  • Read more about the levels of care that are available to treat alcoholism.
• Alcoholism Therapy
  • Several Therapy options for Alcoholism are explained, such as individual, family therapy, and CES.
• Alcoholism and Teenagers
  • Alcohol consumption during adolescence may cause permanent damage to the certain key areas of the brain. Read more about alcoholism in teenagers
• Treatment Options for Alcoholism in Teenagers
  • Similiar to the treatment options for adults, learn more about how to treat alcoholism in teenagers