Many teens feel the pressure to conform to peer expectations around alcohol at parties, but parents are feeling pressure too. More than one-quarter of those said they had their first drink before age 13. A 2018 University of Michigan study indicated that 41% of teens reported alcohol use in the last 30 days and, of most concern, 3% reported daily use.

Lead by example

The teenage years can often be challenging and stressful, and it’s not unusual for people to turn to alcohol as a way of coping with their issues. But whatever difficulties you’re facing at the moment, there is help available and there are healthier, more effective ways of resolving them. Witnessing your child struggle with a drinking teenage alcoholism problem (also known as “alcohol use disorder”) can be as heartbreaking as it is frustrating. Your teen may be falling behind at school, disrupting family life, and even stealing money to finance their habit or getting into legal difficulties. Drinking problems affect families all over the world from every different background.

Trauma: The Underlying Cause of Much of Teen Substance Use

While you can’t do the hard work of overcoming addiction for your loved one, your patience, love, and support can play a crucial part in their long-term recovery. With these guidelines, you can help ease your loved one’s suffering, preserve your own mental health and well-being, and restore calm and stability to your relationship and family life. According to Texans for Safe and Drug-Free Youth, more than half of Texas students in grades 7 through 12 have used alcohol in their lifetime and one-third drank within the past month.

Ways to Prevent Alcohol Misuse among Teens

For one, it is important that the teen feels they can speak freely in therapy without fear of parental judgment. And secondly, the way to create healthy, well-adjusted adults is by teaching teens how to make good decisions for themselves. We create a relationship with our patients in which they know where they stand with us and where our viewpoint matters. The teens we work with know what they can expect from us in regards to what they can talk about (anything!), our position on drugs and alcohol, and what we will and will not share with their parents. We also make it clear that while we are not here to judge them, if we have concerns, we will be direct about that and help them think through solutions. We often view our work with individuals as family therapy, especially when it comes to kids and teens.

Follow through with consequences

A zero tolerance policy won’t insure your teens won’t drink now or in college. However, teenagers from such households do have a tendency to drink less. When a teen is drunk, they are in a vulnerable state, both physically and mentally.

Teens benefit from much of the same treatments that adult alcoholics can benefit from, but there are some factors that make teen rehab unique. Teenagers tend to be bigger risk-takers and are often more emotionally motivated then adults, and alcohol abuse in teens can be tied to these factors. Teens also tend to take the opinions of their peers more seriously than those of adults, and there is considerable evidence that peer-based group counseling is especially helpful for teen drinkers. Teens are also especially like to suffer from co-occurring mental health issues that contribute to their alcohol use.

Opt for communicating consequences proactively

Underage drinking can have serious implications that may not show up until later in your child’s life. Stats show that teens who drink may be at higher risk of suicide, mental health issues and social development issues. Get 5 tips for talking to your teen about alcohol from @Childrens. If your teenage son or daughter is using alcohol to escape from pressures at school or a recent unpleasant event, please contact our 24-hour help line. We will help you find an adolescent alcohol treatment program that will rescue your teenager from the grip of alcoholism and help him grow up to be a healthy and successful adult.

How to Help an AlcoholicHelping Someone with a Drinking Problem

• They may also copy your own drinking habits to establish their maturity.
• All you can do is encourage the person to recommit to overcoming their drinking problem and support them as they try again.
• Enter your email address – we’ll keep you informed on the latest news and share resources for parents and mentors.