Causes of Teen Drinking

These days, in our society, alcoholism is no longer not just an adult problem but also a teen problem. Why do teenagers want to drink alcohol even though it is prohibited in our law? This is a very good question. I feel the three main factors that contribute most to teen drinking are boredom, rebellion, and peer pressure.

Boredom is just one of the many causes that leads to teens developing a drinking problem. Many teens drink because there bored, have some kind of problem, are lonely, or just want to get drunk. Many of the teens I know say they "drink to have fun." I think there's a difference between having fun and just going out of control. I don't need to drink to have fun, and besides, I don't want to ruin my chances of a good future, or hurting myself or someone else. What isn't realized is that after awhile drinking is just going to become something else to do when you're bored. There are many other things that could be done like reading, writing, jogging, watching a movie, or even meditating. If this is kept up teens could be killing lots of boredom in AA meetings.

Along with boredom, rebellion plays a big factor in teen drinking. Adolescence is a time when many young people test limits, and parent's patience. All teens go through similar phases; the need for independence, a separate identity, testing authority. It's part of growing up. Some may have so many problems they don't know how to talk about, that they turn to alcohol to make them disappear. Teenage rebellion often goes along with changing hormones and adolescent "attitudes." Parents can often start a problem by just talking with their child. Parents need to be tough with their children if they are rebellious. They should love them unconditionally and try to find ways to reason with them. It's important to rebuild trust and keep respect with your teen.

Above and beyond boredom and rebellion I feel peer pressure is the main cause for teen drinking. During the teenage years children begin to spend a lot more time with their friends, and less time with their family. This makes them more vulnerable to there peer influence. Children practice risk-taking behaviors as they are trying to find their own identity and become more independent. Wanting to be accepted can be a big issue for teens as they grow. If a teen finds a group that regularly drinks alcohol, they will drink with them

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