Your teen and alcohol

For Aldeas HS by L. Gonzalez (ASFM Psychology Department)

Teen Brain Development & Alcohol

Teen Brain Development & Alcohol

The portions of the brain that deal with emotion, memory, learning, motivation and judgment are the last to develop and, as such, are the most deeply affected by alcohol (or drug abuse) during ages 12 through 20, often through age 25.

If a teen abuses alcohol, the neural connections associated with memories and experiences related to alcohol abuse are the ones that are strengthened and thus embedded.

Neural connections damaged by or not used because of alcohol abuse (those related to learning or judgment, for example) are pruned or not strengthened.

Frederiksen, Lisa. BreakingTheCycles.com. Retrieved from http://www.breakingthecycles.com/blog/2009/02/14/teen-brain-development-and-alcohol on March 4, 2014.

Teen Brain Development & Alcohol

Should parents introduce young people to alcohol?

In fact, a national survey of 12 to 17 year olds has found that parents are the most common source of alcohol for those who drank

International data suggests introducing alcohol to teenagers is not a way to protect them.

The earlier a child is introduced to alcohol, the more likely they are to develop problems with alcohol later in life

(National Center on Addition and Substance Abuse, 2002).

San Pedro’s

guidelines

Delay your teenager’s introduction to alcohol – don’t offer them alcohol before they are 18.

Model responsible drinking and attitudes towards alcohol, including demonstrating to your children that alcohol is not essential to having a good time.

Monitor your teenager when you are not around by staying in touch with their friends’ parents, and prepare them to deal with the influence of peers.

Establish family rules and consequences for breaching them.

guidelines

Talk to your child about alcohol and the risks of alcohol-related harms:

Choose a time when you are both relaxed rather than lecturing them when they aren’t in the right mood

Explain the specific harms of alcohol use while their brain is still developing

Cover themes such as the positive and negative aspects of alcohol use

guidelines

Encourage them to talk about their own perceptions and assumptions and correct any misconceptions

Communicate your expectations about their alcohol consumption

If you can’t answer a question they pose, admit it and look for the answer from a reputable source.

Reasons to Not Drink

It’s important that both you and your teen identify some specific reasons to avoid alcohol.

There are a variety of health issues associated with alcohol, but there are also a number of ways that drinking impacts a teen’s social life.

The following list provides some good suggestions for reasons to not drink, but you and your teen may come up with others

Brainstorm Reasons to Not Drink

I will live longer–between five and ten years

I will sleep better

I will save a lot of money

My relationships with friends will improve

I will look younger longer

I will achieve more in my life

Reasons to Not Drink

There will be a greater chance that I will survive to a healthy old age without premature damage to my brain

I will be better in school or at my job

I will be less likely to feel depressed and six times less likely to commit suicide

I will be less likely to die of heart disease or cancer

I will be three times less likely to die in a car accident

There will be less chance that I will have an unplanned pregnancy

References

Frederiksen, Lisa. Retrived from: http://www.breakingthecycles.com.

MOTHERS AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING(MAAD). Talking with Teens About Alcohol. March 2014

Parenting Guidelines for Adolescent Alcohol Use. Retrieved from: http://www.parentstrategies.net. March 2014

Health Promotion Agency (HPA). Alcohol & your kids. WHAT CAN YOU DO?. Retrieved from:www.alcohol and your teens. March 2014.