Teen Alcohol Abuse

"Alcohol use interacts with conditions such as depression and stress to contribute to suicide, the third leading cause of death among people between the ages of 14 and 25. In one study, 37 percent of eighth grade females who drank heavily reported attempting suicide, compared with 11 percent who did not drink."

"Although the risk is higher with heavy alcohol use, scientific research has shown that any amount of alcohol may affect your unborn baby. You can prevent fetal alcohol spectrum disorder by not drinking at all while you are pregnant. Many doctors suggest just that."

"In 2006, an estimated 13.3 percent of U.S. persons aged 12 or older drove under the influence of an illicit drug or alcohol at least once in the past year. This percentage has dropped since 2005, when it was 14.1 percent. The 2006 estimate corresponds to 31.7 million persons."

"Teenage drug and alcohol abuse research shows that adolescent drug and alcohol abuse and addiction affects youth from all races, socioeconomic levels, religious preferences, and geographic locations."

"According to recent studies, it has been discovered that approximately 53% of adults in the United States have reported that one or more of their close relatives has a drinking problem."

"According to a U.S. study of treatment patients between 1993 and 2003, the number of people who are being treated for drug abuse who report that they began taking at least one drug before they were thirteen years old is increasing significantly."

"In the United States, approximately 40% of adults will use an illegal drug at some time during their lives. This does not include the use of alcohol or prescription medications. Many people abuse more than one illegal substance at a time."

"Codependency is defined by a group of symptoms that typically occur in those who live with someone afflicted with alcoholism or with some other addiction."

"Substance abuse research shows that doctors at times fail to accurately identify women who are alcohol abusers or alcohol dependent because women have a tendency to seek treatment for nonspecific health problems and issues such as anxiety, insomnia, or nervousness."

"Interventions should be carefully planned and developed by professional substance abuse counselors who are experienced in such procedures. The primary purpose of an intervention is to get the alcoholic to go into a treatment program."

"Researchers have suggested that for some victims of childhood abuse, alcohol may serve as a coping mechanism to deal with the trauma associated with the abuse and its consequences."

"Alcohol is typically found in the offender, victim or both, in about half of all U.S. homicides and serious assaults, as well as in a high percentage of sex-related crimes, robberies, and incidents of domestic violence, and alcohol-related problems are disproportionately found among both juvenile and adult criminal offenders."

"Your doctor can diagnose alcohol use problems by asking about your medical history and doing a physical exam. Your doctor might do other tests to detect the amount of alcohol in your blood and any damage to your body caused by alcohol."

"U.S. research studies on twins strongly suggest a very strong genetic link to alcoholism."

"A national team of investigators led by psychiatric geneticists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has identified a gene that appears to be linked to both alcoholism and depression. This gene might be a susceptibility gene that puts a person at risk for developing both alcoholism and depression."

"The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that the 21-year-old minimum drinking age laws have saved 21,887 lives since the mid-1970s."

"According to alcoholism statistics, roughly 9.7 million current drinkers in the United States are between the ages of 12-20. Regarding these young drinkers, 18.7% are binge drinkers and 6% are excessive drinkers."

"In the United States, research has demonstrated that continued alcohol abuse is one of the major risk factors for violence in intimate relationships."

"Regardless of the source of addiction, the effects are mainly in the brain, physically, chemically, and psychologically affecting energy levels and emotions."

"According to drug and alcohol abuse research, to make a successful recovery, the dependent person needs new tools in order to deal with problematic situations and circumstances that will arise. Factors such as seeing a friend from the days when the addict was using, returning to the same home town or addictive environment, things such as songs, objects, or smells may trigger memories that can push a hot button or trigger psychological stress. All of these factors can not only get in the way of recovery for the dependent person, but they can short-circuit sobriety and lead to relapse."

"According to a 2007 Science Daily report, compared to the experimenters, boys who reported drinking before 4 p.m.were eight times more likely to belong to the highest-risk group that drank for multiple reasons; girls who drank before 4 p.m. were six times more likely to belong to the group that drank for multiple reasons."

"According to alcohol abuse and alcoholism research, many, if not most, of the individuals who become alcohol dependent were abusive drinkers earlier in their lives. This finding demonstrates the fragile and thin line that separates alcohol abuse and alcoholism."

"Research has shown that people who start drinking at an early age, for instance at 13 years old or younger, significantly increases the likelihood that they will experience alcohol problems later in life."

"Research has demonstrated that vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death among those aged 15 to 20. Combining teenagers' lack of driving experience with the use of alcohol, marijuana and/or other substances that impair cognitive and motor abilities can be a deadly combination."

"According to a 1997 report by the Ninth Special Report to the U.S. Congress on Alcohol and Health from the Secretary of Health and Human Services, alcohol is a leading cause of death among youth, particularly teenagers. It contributes substantially to adolescent motor vehicle crashes, other traumatic injuries, suicide, date rape, and family and school problems."