We feel that teenagers should have the best of opportunities for a good life. We are troubled by what we see looking at our teenagers today. Where they hang out and what's going on at hang out places.
For all the young people out there who believe that drinking a lot of alcohol does not lead to adverse life changes.
Fact: Alcohol is a drug which can become addictive.
Fact: Alcohol can interfere with the growth function of the brain in young folks. It is obvious that drugs that affect the pleasure functions of the brain can also limit the growth of the brain in a young person. What drinking does to the brain is damaging to brain cells. If you are going to make it in this crazy world, you need all of your faculties that the brain produces for rational, focused thought.
Fact: Alcohol for a youth who starts drinking early can become a lifelong habit. Amazingly, young folks who start drinking at an early age are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence. It is hard to break from the dependence on alcohol because it makes the pain, thoughts, and actions dull into, not only no pain but I'm feeling good, my senses are heightened, and everybody likes me when I'm high. Then there comes the time when alcohol does not give the same buzz anymore, it's harder to get drunk to the point of oblivion. A friend suggests that you can get to a higher state of oblivion by trying hallucinatory drugs and the real hard stuff like crack, heroin, etc.
Fact: Alcohol drinking started at an early age may lead to the thought process that: "If I'm holding my own when hanging out with my friends, I surely can imbibe a lot more. You know, I can stop drinking anytime I want too." Majority of youth when binging means five or more drinks in the case of teenage boys and in the case of teenage girls, four or more drinks.
Fact: When young folks drink they are more likely to be victims of violent crime. Yes, things like rape, aggravated assault and robbery. Why? Peer Pressure. It's easy to pass out when drinking a lot of alcohol and waking up with no idea of what happened the night before or the blurry knowledge that something did happen that makes you feel sick such as being raped. High tolerance for alcohol is attained quicker for a teenager. So you need more and the more you need, the likely hood of doing something regrettable may happen, like contracting HIV, AIDS, Herpes, Sexually Transmitted Diseases. We know: "It will never happen to you!"
Fact: Drive drunk and physically damage yourself, passengers and there is always the possibility of causing many deaths even your own.
So you've heard this all before, just in case you need help call 540.741.3900 or go to www.snowdenmentalhealth.com
Alcohol Anonymous: www.aa.org
Substance Abuse and Addiction Recovery Alliance of Virginia: www.saara.org
Just because this information is regional, it is for all teenagers and there is help out there for you.
Teen Help 411: www.child.net National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1.800.799.SAFE (7233)
Teenage Dating Abuse: www.loveisrespect.org
Teen Suicide Prevention: www.teendepression.org
Teens Helping Teens: www.teencentral.net
Hope this helps some teenager out there.
From grandparents of teenagers.
Comments(0)