Alcohol can permanently damage teens' developing brains.
According to information provided by the website MedicineNet.com, young people in America use alcohol more frequently than any other drug. Approximately 50 percent of children ages 11 to 18 drink alcohol at least monthly. Medical research has borne out the lasting and permanent effects of alcohol, especially on changing teen bodies. These effects fall into several categories.
Physical
In as little as 5 to 10 minutes, the body quickly absorbs alcohol into the blood. The effects can last for hours, depending on the gender, weight, amount consumed, and how quickly consumption occurred. Alcohol acts as a depressant and slows down the brain and the nervous system. Physical effects include slurred speech, loss of coordination, clumsiness, decrease in the ability to pay attention, decreased reaction time, reduced function of vision and hearing. Greater alcohol consumption enhances these physical effects, resulting in balance loss, double vision, feeling the room spin, staggering, nausea and vomiting. Young people who drink more likely will involve themselves in risky sexual behavior or even have sex with a stranger.
Mental
The mental effects of alcohol on young people include a decreased ability to pay attention. Alcohol causes teens to act out of character in ways they wouldn't normally act. Drinking by young people also results in short-term memory loss, which has further implications for school-related studies and taking tests. Heavy drinking can hide other teen emotional issues, such as anxiety problems or depression and increase suicide attempts. Finally, young people are more likely to try other drugs when drinking because of the reduction of inhibitions.
Social and Emotional
Many young people like the relaxed feeling and loosened inhibitions that alcohol gives them after one or two drinks. It tends to heighten the emotional state of the person when he begins drinking; in other words, if he felt in bad humor, he might become sullen and depressed. If he's, he could become excited and euphoric. This means a teen's body may not react the same way to alcohol each time he drinks.
Increased Addiction Risk
One of the greatest concerns of parents, mental health professionals, educators and medical personnel alike is that problem drinking increases as the age of the first-time drinker decreases.
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