Teenagers with alcohol
Alcohol use amongst teenagers is illegal in the United States. This is both due to a decided lack of maturity in its use and its negative effects on their developing bodies. Yet, approximately half of all senior and junior high school students drink alcohol on a monthly basis. Teens think they are indestructible and cannot be effected by alcohol use as others are; They think they are immune to the many problems alcohol can bring on.
Academic Performance
If a teenager drinks alcohol, it can affect his academic performance. Alcohol impairs part of the brain associated with coordination, memory and judgment. Information given to an alcohol-consuming teen before he drinks alcohol, will be hard to remember once the alcohol is in his system. The Virginia Tech University website states, that 48 hours after drinking, your attention span is shorter. Alcohol-drinking teens often fall behind on their school work and frequently miss class. They have trouble concentrating on assignments and have poor relationships with their teachers.
Health
There are many consequences of alcohol consumption on the health of teenagers. Aside from lacking sleep, blurred vision and occasional blackouts, mental confusion can set in and teens can have difficulty coordinating muscles. The nerves that moves your eyes can get paralyzed. Due to impaired judgment, there is an increased risk of getting pregnant and contracting sexually transmitted diseases including HIV. In the long run, adults who started drinking alcohol as teens can suffer from liver disease, heart problems, seizures, hypoglycemia and permanent brain damage. Teens who drink alcohol are also at an increased risk for depression.
Impaired Judgement
Teenagers who drink alcohol will often start experimenting with other type s of drugs. In the long run teenage drinking can lead to an alcohol addiction where teens believe they cannot function without having alcohol in their system. Alcohol makes them feel more relaxed and they feel as if they can do anything. Impaired judgment can also lead to dangerous behavior such as driving under the influence. in 2009, according to the Alcoholstats website, there were 1,180 teen drunk-driving fatalities amongst young people ages 16 to 20.
Relationships
When teens drink alcohol, it influences their relationships with parents and friends. Alcohol use can make teenagers withdraw themselves from other people. They have a negative attitude and start arguments with family members and friends. They break the rules and have no interest in the things they once valued. Problems with the law are not uncommon. Alcohol-drinking teenagers can also start dressing differently and listen to a different type of music as they did before their drinking started.
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