Teen Treatment: Addressing Alcohol Problems Among Adolescents Reducing Underage Drinking NCBI Bookshelf
Manystudies have been completed to evaluate the outcomes of the TwelveStep Facilitation method, yet few have been geared specifically toadolescents. One study found that adolescents who are motivated toattend Twelve Step meetings have improved treatment outcomes (Kelly, Myers, and Brown,2002). However, more research 50 substance abuse group therapy activities for recovery is needed to assess theeffectiveness of the Twelve Step approach and how these programsmeet the developmental needs of teens (Kassel and Jackson, 2001). Many teens may struggle with mental health problems, or they may have parents, guardians, or siblings who also struggle with addiction or mental illness.
Teenage Alcohol Abuse
Recognizing AUD in teenagers isn’t always easy, but it can be the first step in offering them the support they need. The 45-to-49 age group had the highest percent, 37%, of drunk motorcycle riders killed in 2022. In every state, it’s illegal to drive drunk, yet one person was killed in a drunk-driving crash every 39 minutes in the United States in 2022. If you drive while impaired, you could get arrested, or worse — be involved in a traffic crash that causes serious injury or death. In 2022, there were 2,337 people killed in alcohol-related crashes where a driver had a BAC of .01 to .07 g/dL. “If we suspect or we know a teen is using, say marijuana or alcohol, one of the first things we do is talk to families who come to us at Odyssey House.
Longer-Term Effects of Alcohol on the Brain and Behavior
The endocrine system in teenagers plays a very important role in physical development. Damaging this system means that a person can cause harm to their reproductive system, physical growth, and emotional wellbeing. If alcohol changes how the body releases estrogen or testosterone during puberty, then the child may stunt their growth; harm the development of bones, muscles, organs, and their immune system; and they may have problems with infertility later in life. Kids who abuse alcohol are at elevated risk for physical, behavioral, academic, legal, and social harm. At some point, many teens are pressured to drink alcohol by friends or peers.
Signs of Teenage Alcoholism
Whatever the reason, the potential risks and negative consequences are the same. In 2022, among adolescents ages 12 to 14 who reported drinking alcohol in the past month, 97.7% reported getting it for free the last attention required! cloudflare time they drank.14 In many cases, adolescents have access to alcohol through family members or find it at home. Adolescents who abuse alcohol may develop an alcohol use disorder and require teen alcohol treatment.
Where to learn more and find support
Detoxification settings are often included as part of a 28-day intensiveinpatient treatment. Detoxification generally refers to a 3- to5-day period of intensive medical monitoring and management ofwithdrawal symptoms. Physical withdrawal is uncommon for adolescentsunless opiates or barbiturates have been the principal substances ofabuse and dependence.
Good programs are based on anunderstanding of gender socialization and the cultural background ofthe patient. National guidelines for staff training to understandthe developmental needs of teens should be developed. Nationallyrecognized guidelines for ensuring the safety of adolescentpatients, particularly females, also should be developed. Assessment is important to determine the type of treatment approachto which an adolescent may respond (Pickens and Fletcher, 1991; Bergmann, Smith, andHoffman, 1995; Jainchill, Bhattacharyo, and Yagelka,1995; Werner, 1995). If a program has a family component,there should be a thorough assessment of the family as well as anassessment of the multiple contexts in which the young person lives(e.g., family, peer, school).
How substance abuse can affect teen mental health
- Assessment (pretreatment screening) is an important first step todetermine need for treatment.
- Similar sessions are held with familymembers, in which parents examine their parenting style and learn tohave a positive influence on their child (Schmidt, Liddle, and Dakof,1996).
- Evaluate whether you recognize any of the following symptoms in yourself.
- After you drink an alcoholic beverage like beer or wine, the alcohol enters your bloodstream from your stomach and small intestine.
- Talk with a trusted adult, such as a parent, family member, coach, school counselor, doctor, certified substance use counselor, or a leader in your faith community.
One (12-ounce) beer has about the same amount of alcohol as one (5-ounce) glass of wine or one “shot” (1.5 ounces) of liquor. After you drink an alcoholic beverage like beer or wine, the alcohol enters your bloodstream review and comparison from your stomach and small intestine. There, it slows reaction time, makes you less coordinated, impairs your vision, and — even at relatively low doses — leads to unclear thinking and problems making good judgments.
If you suspect someone is experiencing alcohol poisoning, call 911 immediately. If you do not have access to a phone contact Web Poison Control Services for online assistance. However, it’s still a good idea to reach out to them — regardless of the cause of their behavior, they may need guidance and support. However, frequent alcohol misuse may eventually lead to AUD, according to the NIAAA.
The early warning signs of an alcohol problem can be hard to recognize because some symptoms can overlap with what are considered normal teen behaviors. If a person drinks enough, particularly if they do so quickly, alcohol can produce a blackout. Alcohol-induced blackouts are gaps in a person’s memory for events that occurred while they were intoxicated. These gaps happen because alcohol temporarily blocks the transfer of memories from short-term to long-term storage—a process known as memory consolidation—in a brain area called the hippocampus. These could include the presence of alcohol or empty alcohol containers among a teen’s belongings.
Researchefforts on the importance of the therapeutic relationship shouldcontinue, and the findings should be disseminated widely totreatment providers. It is important to understand the potential of a program to produceresults. Most treatment programs keep track of outcome data and areable to provide statistics, which suggest the effectiveness of thetreatment and recovery strategies (Pickens and Fletcher, 1991; Bergmann et al.,1995; Jainchill et al., 1995; Werner, 1995). Evaluation iscostly and difficult (Drug Strategies, 2003; Milby, 1981). However, evaluationnot only validates effective approaches, it also providesinformation that is essential for improving or enhancing treatmentstrategies (Muck etal., 2001).
For more advice on talking to your teen and strategies for preventing alcohol use and abuse, visit the website of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Left untreated, alcohol overdose can lead to permanent brain damage or death. Parents and teachers can play a meaningful role in shaping youth’s attitudes toward drinking. Parents, in particular, can have either a positive or negative influence. Sian Ferguson is a freelance health and cannabis writer based in Cape Town, South Africa. She’s passionate about empowering readers to take care of their mental and physical health through science-based, empathetically delivered information.