Alcohol and teenagers
Christiane Fux studied journalism and psychology in Hamburg. The experienced medical editor has been writing magazine articles, news and factual texts on all conceivable health topics since 2001. In addition to her work for, Christiane Fux is also active in prose. Her first crime novel was published in 2012, and she also writes, designs and publishes her own crime plays.
More posts by Christiane Fux All content is checked by medical journalists.A lot of the course is set for the future among young people - this also applies to the way we deal with alcohol. Especially in the phase of self-discovery, alcohol is a welcome helper: It makes you more self-confident, reduces inhibitions, puts you in a good mood and lets problems fade away. Read about the factors that contribute to young people drinking too much and what parents can do to encourage their children to use alcohol responsibly.
Why teenagers drink too much
Alcohol appears particularly attractive during puberty, with its many turbulences and uncertainties. Your own self-image is shaken by the physical and psychological transformation, and the awakening sexuality brings emotions into a tailspin.
Young people have to find their role in the circle of friends, cut themselves off from the parental home and set their sights on their professional future. In addition, anyone who drinks alcohol feels cool and grown up.
In this vulnerable phase in life, the course is often laid for later addiction. A high consumption, reaching for the bottle in case of problems or to get into a party mood - all of this is learned and solidified. In addition, the body is getting used to the alcohol more and more.
Peer pressure to drink
The circle of friends and the way you spend your free time are decisive for your own drinking behavior. When your own friends are drinking, peer pressure is particularly easy.Young people, who particularly like to spend their free time at parties and in clubs, naturally usually drink significantly more than those who prefer sports or cultural events.
Alcohol use in the family
Sometimes parents do not set an example of responsible use of alcohol. If fathers and mothers drink a lot, the children usually perceive alcohol consumption as normal. The offspring often also experiences that adults use alcohol to dampen negative feelings such as frustration, worries or fears, or are only “in a good mood” when they have drunk alcohol. This can tempt young people to imitate them.
The influence of advertising, films, series
The positive image generated by advertising also has an influence. Alcohol makes you relaxed, funny, communicative and washes away your inhibitions. This makes it a welcome source of encouragement, especially for young people with weak self-confidence. Films and series also convey this image. It is often shown that reaching for the bottle is normal and helpful in the event of problems.
Drinking behavior of adolescents
Most young people have their first encounter with alcohol at a very early age: of the 12 to 17 year olds, almost 63 percent have already drunk alcohol. Almost ten percent drink alcoholic beverages at least once a week - boys do this more often than girls (12.6 percent vs. 4.6 percent). Risky alcohol consumption (more than 24 grams of pure alcohol per day) occurs among adolescents: 3.4 percent of 12 to 17-year-old boys and 2.8 percent of all girls in this age group.
But there is also an opposite trend: young people who find drinking uncool and drink very little or not at all.
Preventing alcohol abuse in adolescents
The reasons for alcohol consumption are so diverse that simple preventive measures such as the ban on flat-rate parties or high taxes on mixed drinks (alcopops) are not really fruitful. The decisive factor is what attitude the young people themselves find towards alcohol.
Stabilize emotionally
Prevention psychologists primarily aim to stabilize the youngsters emotionally. Those who have a healthy self-esteem and have learned to cope with disappointments and setbacks don't need a drink to feel good. And it's easier to refuse if you're encouraged to drink.
Make children strong
"Make children strong" is the motto of a campaign by the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA). The main aim there is to involve the parents in a targeted manner. Because prevention begins long before the critical age. It is based on a trusting relationship between parent and child. What is important is the balance between age-appropriate freedom and the necessary limits.
It also affects overprotected people more often
This also means that parents give their children age-appropriate tasks and responsibilities. Among the adolescents who slide into an addiction there is a striking number for whom well-meaning parents have taken everything from them. They perceive tasks as unreasonable, do not cope well with failures and cannot solve problems on their own. Overprotection can also have the effect that the adolescents later seek the kick of the risk. This is also a possible motivation for the consumption of alcohol and other drugs.
Educate about dangers
A large proportion of young alcohol consumers are quite amenable to logical arguments. Long-term consequences such as irreparable liver damage (for example in the form of cirrhosis of the liver) and the threat of cancer are still too far away for young people to seriously frighten them.
The acute dangers of excessive alcohol consumption (such as binge drinking and drinking coma) impress them all the more. These include accidents or alcohol poisoning. Even the specific threat that one embarrasses oneself fairly quickly under the influence of alcohol can have a big impact. Male teenagers can be put off by the fact that high blood alcohol levels are harmful to potency - both in the short term and in the long term.
Medium-term damage also has a deterrent potential. For example, that too much alcohol has a negative effect on the ability to concentrate and think. Young people who drink a lot of alcohol often slip in school.
An argument that is particularly popular with girls: alcohol is high in calories - it makes you fat.
Tips for parents
Parents can do a lot to help their child use alcohol responsibly. In addition to the role model function, it is crucial that a trusting and open conversation on the topic is possible.
- You are a role model for your child - even if they are slowly growing up. The way you deal with alcohol affects your daughter or son's later consumption.
- Start a conversation! Talk to your son or daughter about the reasons for drinking and the experiences - positive and negative. Stay open and responsive.
- Educate your daughter or son about the dangers and effects of too much alcohol without being instructive.
- Recall your own experiences with alcohol in adolescence. This enables you to better understand your child's behavior. Perhaps you have not always been entirely sensible yourself.
- Strict alcohol bans are useless - they are unrealistic. Instead, aim for a conscious and sensible use of alcohol.
- Make sure that the youth protection regulations are complied with in your area and that children are not encouraged to drink ("The boy is already grown up. A beer does not harm him!").
- If you have the feeling that your child's consumption is getting out of hand, talk to a counseling center.
