” deaths for teens,” states Dr. Mark S. Gold of Fair Oaks Hospital. It’s drinking that harms or endangers the drinker or other people. Drinking and driving is an extremely dangerous form of alcohol abuse.
Teenage drinking may cause fights with family and friends, sometimes ending in injuries or death. Loss of coordination and judgment makes drinkers accident prone. Teenage arrests for drunkenness or creating a disturbance are not only embarrassingbut they can also mean a damaging arrest record (7). Teenage alcoholism is a serious problem which destroys the lives of many adolescents.
In order to understand the controversial issue of alcoholism, it isnecessary to explore some background information. Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language defines alcoholism as “a diseased condition due to the excessive use of alcoholic beverages” (35). In a medical sense, the physical effects are quite frightening. There is a great risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer. The brain tissue is destroyed and can’t be replaced (Peele 15). Historically speaking, even in ancient times, the use of beer and wine sometimes led to drunkenness.
Moderation was the most frequently recommended remedy (Plesser 3). Peer pressure contributes to more and more teenagers consuming alcohol. “Eight out of every ten high school seniors have tried alcohol more than once” (“Alcohol” NP). Teenagers may not have much experience with alcohol, so it’s hard for them to judge their own limits.
Since they are less mature than adults, they are more likely to overact and lose control when intoxicated. To show evidence of the effects of alcohol on teenagers, a couple of case studieshave been selected. The first one involves David, a 17 year old high school senior. He was a gifted athlete and scholar until he turned to alcohol. The symptoms beganto show up by David infuriating his basketball coach and being told to never comeback to the team. His grades started to slip badly and was unaware that that thequantity of alcohol that he was consuming had a direct toll on him.
When he finallyrealized that it was time to stop drinking, he could not do it. Finally, he went tointervention and that was the best decision of his life (Greenleaf 8+). This teenagerwas one of the lucky ones. He recognized the fact that he had a problem, sought outhelp and was cured. The next case study involved a high school student who earned good gradesand played football.
Like many teenagers, Jeff Kellogg drank a bit on weekends withhis friends. Although being drunk, Jeff decided to drive home after a party. That particular night the roads were wet and snowy. He crashed into a utility pole and wasrushed to a hospital where he was declared dead. His parents knew of his drinkingand would punish him hoping that he would stop (Anderson 1A+). While beingintoxicated, a persons’ judgment and vision is impaired.
Teenagers who feelno pain temporarily may indeed make wrong decisions. The answer to teenage alcoholism as well as other teenage problems is a oneword answer; parents. The people who gave birth to you are the ones that are responsible for you and are ultimately the ones who will suffer the most when thingsgo bad. In most situations, the teen is living at home and is actually crying out forhelp. Will anyone listen? Parents hope for the best and pray that situations will workthemselves out by themselves.
Each generation has their own set of problems. Yesterday’s remedy will not work today. Professional services are available and should be used. The parent must spend the time to know their teen!Works Cited”Alcohol.
” Compton’s Interactive Encyclopedia. 1994 ed. Anderson, Julie. “Teen Drinking Can End With Sobering Results” Omaha World-Herald 29 Mar. 1992. (Reprinted in SIRS, Alcohol, Vol.
5, Art. 10). Greenleaf, Victoria. “The Trouble With David” Detroit Free Press 5 July 1987.
(Reprinted in SIRS, Alcohol, Vol. 4, Art. 14). Gold, Mark S.
The Facts About Drugs and Alcohol. New York: BantamPremium Book, 1986. Peele, Stanton Diseasing of America: Addiction Treatment Out of Control. Toronto: Lexington Books, 1989.
Plesser, Donna R. Illegal Drugs and Alcohol. New York: Random House,1983. Webster, Merriam Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language.
New York: Gramercy Books, 1989. Bibliography”Alcohol. ” Compton’s Interactive Encyclopedia. 1994 ed. Anderson, Julie. “Teen Drinking Can End With Sobering Results” Omaha World-Herald 29 Mar.
1992. (Reprinted in SIRS, Alcohol, Vol. 5, Art. 10).
Greenleaf, Victoria. “The Trouble With David” Detroit Free Press 5 July 1987. (Reprinted in SIRS, Alcohol, Vol. 4, Art. 14). Gold, Mark S.
The Facts About Drugs and Alcohol. New York: BantamPremium Book, 1986. Peele, Stanton Diseasing of America: Addiction Treatment Out of Control. Toronto: Lexington Books, 1989. Plesser, Donna R. Illegal Drugs and Alcohol.
New York: Random House,1983. Webster, Merriam Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language. New York: Gramercy Books, 1989.
