Alcohol Use Disorder and the Impact of Underage Alcohol Use

Alcohol and Youth Drinking

Prevalence of Teen Alcohol Use

Underage drinking is a leading public health problem in the United States, with comprehensive statistics showing it is the drug of choice for American teens and young adults. Rates of underage drinking, drug use, and overall substance use are noticeably higher in urban areas than in suburban and rural areas. Possible reasons for this are that urban areas have more stores that sell alcohol, display more alcohol ads, and are often too preoccupied with gang activity to address and prevent underage drinking problems.

Risk Factors for Teen Drinking Alcohol Use

Prevention of alcohol use in teens and youth starts with understanding the risk factors. While the causes of childhood and teenage alcohol abuse include many social, psychological, and behavioral issues, being the child of an alcoholic or having several alcoholic family members is highly correlated with underage drinking. Children of alcoholics are between 4 and 10 times more likely to become alcoholics than peers with no alcoholic relatives. Children of alcoholics are also more likely to begin drinking at a young age and to develop alcohol abuse problems such as alcohol dependence more rapidly.

Advertising and peer pressure (the strongest factor) also impact whether and when underage drinking begins. Peers tend to have major sway when it comes to drinking choices since teens may feel pressured to drink to fit in.

Other common risk factors for underage drinking include stress at home or school; family problems; a history of behavioral or mental health problems, or life transitions such as moving and changing schools.

Defending Your Teen Against Underage Drinking

Parents of children and teenagers exhibiting the warning signs of underage drinking are urged to intervene immediately when they see risky behavior.

Many treatment options are available, and swift intervention could prevent long-term problems. Caron offers programs for teens and young adults that provide age-appropriate therapy, education, and peer support for middle and high school students throughout the recovery process.

Talk to your teen about the risks of underage drinking today and help reduce underage drinking for good. For more health care information on alcohol addiction, treatment, prevention, and rehab for teens, please explore our website or contact Caron.

Underage Binge Drinking

Effects of Alcohol and Binge Drinking Under the Legal Drinking Age

Binge drinking, also known as excessive alcohol consumption or heavy drinking, can be extremely dangerous, particularly for inexperienced, underage drinkers. The consequences of underage drinking and binge drinking can include heightened risk for alcohol addiction, dangerous drunk driving decisions, unprotected sex, sexual assault, and damage to the liver and kidneys. Binge drinking may also lead to alcohol poisoning, which sends many teens to the emergency room every year.

Binge drinking tends to harm girls more than boys. A study from the University of California, San Diego, and Stanford University found that underage girls who binge drink show diminished activity in brain regions linked to memory (compared to non-drinking teenagers.) The study also concluded that women might be more vulnerable than men to the neurotoxic effects of underage drinking and heavy alcohol abuse during adolescence.

Another study by Susan Tapert of the University of California, San Diego, found that binge drinkers’ white matter—the part of the brain that transmits signals—was abnormal compared to non-drinking teens' white matter, suggesting that drinking alcoholic beverages when still underage could affect thinking, learning, and memory.

If your teen needs help overcoming binge drinking, please explore Caron’s programs or contact us.