Alcohol

Can Alcohol Hurt You?

Adults do it all the time, so why should you worry, right? Wrong. As a young teen or adult, your brain is still growing and developing and will continue to do so until the age of 22-24. Studies now prove that drinking alcohol, even in small quantities, can harm that growth.

When you drink alcohol, it’s absorbed into your bloodstream, and then affects the central nervous system. The central nervous system is your brain and spinal cord, which controls all of your body functions.

Even small amounts of alcohol can be risky. Alcohol is a depressant, which means it slows down or depresses the brain. You might start out happy and relaxed, but usually alcohol makes you sad. Alcohol users often cry uncontrollably. It affects your ability to think, speak and even your sense of balance.

In a national study, more than 90% of kids think teens that drink alcohol are not cool. 89% said drinking alcohol between ages 9-13 was never ok.

* Kids Health Study from Nemours

The effects of alcohol.

• It can make you physically sick. You could throw up—which is never fun or attractive to others—pass out or worse. You can also wake up the next morning with a hangover, which feels awful.
• You might act out of character, or say or do something you don’t mean.
• It can hurt your ability to make good decisions. Kids who drink often act impulsively and do things they otherwise wouldn’t do—including having sex, or trying other drugs they otherwise wouldn’t.
• You might end up doing something embarrassing. When you drink alcohol, your inhibitions are lessened, and you might regret it—especially since everything can be documented and put on the internet or sent through cell phones.
• It can get you into trouble—not only with your parents, but potentially with the police, or school administrators. It’s no fun to have to call your parents from jail, get kicked out of school, or get grounded.
• You might let your guard down, and decide to trust someone you wouldn’t otherwise trust. You might decide to ride in a car with someone who has been drinking, or leave with someone you don’t know at all, which is risky.
• Teens who drink are more likely to get into fights, both verbally and physically.
• Teens who drink don’t do as well in school. It can damage your ability to study well and earn good grades.
• It can affect your ability to perform well in sports, because alcohol affects balance and coordination.
• Teen drinkers are more likely to gain weight or have health problems like high blood pressure.
• Alcohol is addictive. If you start drinking when you’re young, it increases your chances for developing alcoholism, especially if it runs in your family. You might start needing alcohol just to feel good.

The dangers of alcohol poisoning.

Drinking large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time can result in alcohol poisoning. This is why drinking games can be so dangerous. Violent vomiting is usually the first symptom of alcohol poisoning. You can also feel extremely sleepy, or slip into unconsciousness. You could experience difficulty in breathing or even a seizure. It also can create dangerously low blood sugar. In extreme situations, it can cause death—and no party is worth that.

Does a friend need help?

If you have a friend who is drinking alcohol and you are concerned about it, there are several ways to handle it. Tell one of your parents, a teacher or school counselor. Or talk to your friend about how worried you are. They may need help with counseling or other treatment in order to stop drinking. If your friend’s drinking makes you uncomfortable, you should let them know, and why. Your friend may not know how drinking is affecting his or her friendships!

Try to make sure your friend stays safe. Don’t let them drink and drive, and certainly don’t ride with them if they do. Try to keep them from doing anything dangerous or embarrassing, like trying to walk home alone late at night, starting a fight or performing a silly prank.

If they don’t listen to you, and refuse to talk to an adult about their problem with alcohol, you may have to limit the time you spend with them—for your own safety.