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Alcoholism or alcohol dependence is a negative pattern of alcohol consumption which leads to various different problems. Some of the most commonly seen problems of alcoholism are needing more alcohol in order to get intoxicated, the problems of alcohol withdrawal and using alcohol either in larger quantities or for a longer period of time than it was intended. In addition to these problems, there are also problems in life which occur due to the use of alcohol. According to the doctors, there are five stages of alcohol use. The least serious stage is described as access to alcohol, while the final and the most dangerous stage is described as the only feeling of normal when alcohol is being consumed.

Alcohol use in teens

According to the data, teens in the United Sates mainly use alcohol as a drug. More than half of junior high and senior high students consume alcohol on a monthly basis. The data also claims that 14% of all the teens have experienced the minimal of one intoxication during the past year. A certain study confirmed that a little under 10% of teens who drink are binge drinkers. Binge drinking means drinking more than five drinks in a row. Alcohol use in teens has many health dangers. Some of the most commonly seen are a decreased ability to pay attention and problems with memory due to alcohol withdrawal. Male teens complete fewer years of education due to alcohol. Every year there are more than 2,000 teens dying in car crashes due to high levels of alcohol in their blood. Suicide is a lot more common in both male and female teens that drink. Unprotected sex and sex with a stranger are also a lot more common among teens that drink. Certain emotional problems like anxiety and depression occur quite often in teens who consume alcohol. In addition to this, those who consume alcohol are also more likely to start using other drugs like marijuana and cocaine. Signs and symptoms of alcoholism are easy for anyone to see. The smell of alcohol on the breath and skin, bloodshot eyes, unusual passiveness and deterioration in personal hygiene are only some of the signs which are seen most often. Flushed skin and memory loss are common symptoms as well. Risk factors and causes of teen alcoholism are plenty. There are family risk factors which include low levels of parent communication or supervision, conflicts in the family, lack of parental discipline and a family history of alcohol abuse. Apart from family risk factors, there are also individual risk factors as well. Most commonly seen are problems with handling impulses, being emotionally instable, thrill-seeking behavior and thinking that the risks of alcohol consumption are low. Those who start drinking before the age of 14 in almost all cases have mothers with drinking problems. These teens are also most likely to develop alcoholism. It is also important to know that the risk factors for alcoholism are not the same in all teenagers and teenagers of the same age. Risk factors differ in teens aged between 14 and 16 and in teens aged between 16 and 18.

What can parents do to help?

Almost every parent will tell his or her child that drinking alcohol beverages such as beer and wine is not allowed for them. A certain study which included almost 700 kids aged between 9 and 13 years of age proved that children of this age think that teens that drink are not cool. According to the data, more than 90% said that they are very uncool. Almost all of these children agreed that drinking in their age is never good. However, 3% of these kids agreed that alcohol consumption at their age is OK. In most cases of young children who drink, they do it because they lack common sense, take risk without thinking about the danger or simply do not listen to adults. In addition to this, these kids are also most likely to have certain other problems like being disrespectful to both people and property. Stilling, fighting and lying are pretty common in these children as well. Parents play a vital role in helping their children realize that they can succeed in quitting drinking. Parents can teach the children how to give and receive respect, take better care of themselves and make better choices in life. Apart from the parents, other caring adults such as an aunt or uncle can have an important role as well. Other siblings, doctor, teacher and even a school counselor are known to be of significant help as well. There are a lot of reasons why children start drinking but the experts have discovered the three most common. These reasons are to look cool, to see what it is like and in almost all cases because other kids are doing it.

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