If your child is a teenager, they are not at the legal age to drink alcohol. Unfortunately, many teenagers choose to drink anyway and might also engage in drinking habits that aren't healthy. One common example of a teenage drinking habit is binge drinking. Binge drinking alcohol can easily lead to a disorder.
Understanding Binge Drinking
Binge drinking is an activity in which the participant consumes a large quantity of alcohol in a short period of time. This is often done in a party atmosphere or is done because binge drinking might be perceived as being fun.
While binge drinking is sometimes portrayed in the media as a normal activity, it can lead to various consequences. For example, teens are more likely to take risks when they are under the influence of alcohol. Some teenagers will also mix alcohol with other drugs and potentially have a dangerous reaction.
The Effects of Binge Drinking
Excessive alcohol consumption, especially as a teenager, can have lasting mental health effects. Those who consume large quantities of alcohol will suffer from cognitive impairment and memory problems and might have behavioral issues. Those struggling with addiction also sometimes struggle in school.
Teens who drink excessive amounts of alcohol are also more likely to have high blood pressure, suffer from cardiovascular disease, and develop diabetes.
Treating the Root Cause of Binge Drinking
To be able to help your teen overcome their addiction to alcohol, you will want to understand the root causes for why your teen might be choosing to drink so much alcohol in the first place. Some binge drinkers feel like they are under social pressure to drink as much alcohol as they can. Others feel like they are not able to cope with social anxiety or other stresses that they experience in their lives.
However, in other cases, alcohol consumption is a form of self-medication to treat an underlying mental health disorder that has not yet been treated. The best way to help your teen overcome their disorder is to make sure that they are receiving the mental health treatment they need.
If you do not know where to begin when fighting for your child, it's a good idea to contact addiction treatment services. Oftentimes, those who are suffering from addiction will not only need treatment for their addiction but will also need help with life in general and might simply need someone to talk to.
Contact an addiction treatment psychiatrist to learn more.
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