why do teens drink alcohol?
Since her last guest blog was such a success we invited middle school student Joselyn J. to write about why  teens drink alcohol. This is what Joselyn had to say about the issue.

Why do teens drink alcohol?

By: Joselyn J.

Joselyn Teen bloggerTeens drink or try alcohol for a number of reasons. One of the main reasons is that they are being peer pressured into drinking by friends, or they feel the need to fit in because their friends are drinking as well. These peer pressuring “friends” will say phrases like “everything will be fine”, “it’s not that bad” or anything convincing to make other teens drink alcohol.

Some friends even go to the extreme and say mean things just to intimidate their other friends into drinking. Another reason why teens begin drinking is to use it as an escape from a painful feeling such as depression. Teens with a stressful home or school life often try drinking to forget their problems. Teens also drink because it’s a learned behavior. They have watched their parent or parents drink so they think it’s okay to do the same.

Curiosity is another big part in teens drinking as well. They want to experiment the feeling of being “drunk” or “buzzed”. Whether they saw it in a TV show, a friend told them or they read it somewhere the curiosity of what may or may not happen is very tempting to teens.

Another big reason teens drink is simply that they don’t know what alcohol will do to them in the long run. Most teens don’t know that they could die from drinking too much, that you could overdose or be poisoned. They aren’t aware of these things because their parent/parents or schooling doesn’t provide them either enough or any information on drugs and alcohol.

To find out if you’re teen is using alcohol look for these things:

  • Eyes that are red or pupils that are smaller or larger than usual.
  • Changes in normal eating or sleep patterns.
  • Weird smells on breath and clothing.
  • Confusing changes in attitude.

If you see or find any of these symptoms then your teen is most likely drinking alcohol and you should properly inform them of the consequences of drinking especially underage. 

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