Each year hundreds of teenagers die from drinking alcohol, either from behind the wheel of a car, alcohol poisoning, or as a result of a friend’s abusive behavior. Additionally, alcohol damages the brains of teens, which are still developing well into adulthood. Not only do teenagers need to be aware of these dangers, but parents need to know how to handle this fragile situation so they are better equipped to talk to their teens about this sensitive subject.

According to researchers, the human brain continues to mature and develop into the early twenties. Therefore, exposure of the developing brain to alcohol may have long-lasting effects on intellectual capabilities. A good reason to have 21 the minimum age limit for an individual to legally drink.

Teenagers who drink alcohol may experience both irreversible brain damage and learning disabilities. A study performed at the University of California showed nerve damage in teens who drank, affecting each gender in a different way. Boys typically experienced a negative effect on their attention span, while the damage from alcohol affected girls' ability to comprehend and interpret information.

During the study, the examiners looked particularly at 12 to 14 year-olds who drank four or five drinks two to three times per month--this is binge drinking for teens. These participants did much worse on tests due to thinking and memory problems versus teens who do not drink.

To determine how binge drinking affects the brain, the examiners incorporated brain imaging to look at the nerve tissue, or white matter, of the brain. This tissue is responsible for relaying messages between the cells. Teens who are considered binge drinkers showed damaged white matter, a sign of poor quality brain function, thus poor communication between brain cells. Based on these imaging scans, it is not surprising that these teens had a difficult time learning verbal material in school.

Parents play the most important role in preventing their teens from drinking alcohol, however, they must know how to go about doing so first. One thing many pediatricians recommend is having a screening policy in place. You can order a kit to keep in your home that allows you to test your teen for alcohol use whenever you choose. If your teen knows you are going to test randomly, it may help keep him on the straight and narrow. It also gives them a legitimate excuse (an out) to tell their friends when being pressured to drink.

Another method you can use is taking online alcohol classes to learn how to educate your teen about the dangers and risks of underage drinking. Or have your teen take these instructive and interesting classes.

The best way to start your discussion is when you are both relaxed and calm. You can start by asking how much your teen knows the risks and how he feels about it. Explain the facts, and be blunt about it. Show statistics. Tell him how use can permanently damage the brain at his age. Give him ways to cope with peer pressure, but most importantly, set a good example for him. If he sees you drinking regularly, he is going to look at you like a hypocrite. He will feel as if he has no reason to listen to you.

Statistics show that teenage drinking is on the rise. As a parent who doesn’t want their child to involved in this statistic, you can arm your child with the tools he needs to avoid abuse. Online alcohol education classes are a convenient, educational and low-cost way to start.

Many of us have somehow been associated with an alcoholic or drug addict at some point in our lives.  Either it was a parent or relative while growing up, or friends and spouses in our adulthood.  It is an extremely stressful relationship to be in because not only is the alcoholic completely unreliable and in some cases dangerous, we all know that they are also partaking in an extremely unhealthy habit.  Alcoholics and drug addicts often don’t believe that they have a problem.  Many are able to function in life, perform most of their responsibilities and somehow get by.  Convincing an addict to stop their behavior is a daunting task.  Sometimes it takes a particular situation to arise where the person has hit an all time low, sometimes it’s an intervention from family and friends, or a health scare.  Whatever it is, the addict has to be ready and want to change his behavior or it won’t stick. 

As we all know, drug and alcohol abuse over a prolonged amount of time will wreak havoc on the body.  When having a conversation with someone about drug or alcohol addiction, it is useful to be armed with a quick list of the predominant negative health effects on the body.

To begin with, a few of the negative side effects of alcoholism include liver damage, certain forms of cancer like esophageal cancer, hypertension, pancreatitis, damage to the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system.  It is also associated with impaired memory and alcohol related dementia as one gets older.  Additionally, studies show that while many people might initially turn to alcohol to help in social situations, the long term abuse often worsens social phobias and can cause panic disorders to develop. 

Amphetamines, which are even sold legally in some cases, have a very adverse effect on a person’s cardiac system.   The individual simply does not feel any fatigue , therefore they keep on pushing until their heart cannot physically keep up with their physical activity. This drug is commonly found in ADD medication which is fine for those it is prescribed for.  If it is not your prescription, it is not safe to take!  The dangers of MDMA are rather similar, with the addition of dehydration and the possibility of a cardiac arrest when mixed with alcohol.

Harder drugs such as heroin give the user a sense of euphoria and are highly addictive.  However, it suppresses the central nervous system causing users to breathe at a slower rate, with the possibility of complete respiratory failure. Also, because this drug is used intravenously it puts the abuser at high risk for infection of the heart lining and valves, and hepatitis C and liver damage.  You will also begin to see skin infections and abscesses at the injection points due to the lack of sterile equipment. 

All of these facts are horrifying and should scare anyone into kicking the habit.  To continue this conversation, a good place to start is by taking an online alcohol and drug awareness class.  You can sit with the family member or friend, in the comfort of your own home and choose the course length that is right for you.  Skills and techniques for overcoming the cravings and addictive behaviors will be discussed.  Along with taking classes, alternative healthy activities should be introduced to help keep the addict on track for a healthier lifestyle.  Try occupying time with a new sport, an instrument, needlepoint or volunteerism.  Many recovering alcoholics will say that getting involved with helping others gives them a new sense of purpose and direction and helps redirect their own destructive behavior.  Furthermore, a focus on eating right and exercising regularly will help your body to rebuild after all the damaged it has endured.  There is no time like the present to start over by utilizing the support of online alcohol and drug awareness classes.

Summertime for teenagers is often associated with more freedom. The school year, sports, afterschool classes are over and the long days of summer can bring lazy days and less structure. It’s the time of the year that young adults dream for! However, for working parents, this time of year can pose a serious challenge. The kids are home all day, sometimes without much or any supervision and this provides ample opportunity for them to get into trouble. In some cases, friends might get their hands on drugs or an alcohol cabinet might be raided and your child might find himself in the situation of having to stand-up to peer pressure. To start the summer off on the right track, it’s worth having a conversation about what to do if a situation arises where they are presented with drugs and alcohol. For parents, here are some tips to help your teen stay away from trouble this summer:

Tip # 1: Focus on Your Teen's Skill Development

One of the top reasons why teenagers experiment with drugs is simply out of boredom. Therefore, if your family can afford it, camps or organized extracurricular activities that are supervised by adults are the way to go. If cost is an issue, look into activities at your local community center. They often provide art, music and sports classes at reasonable prices. If your child has been showing a lot of interest in music, this might be the time to buy him the guitar he wants. Or, decent tennis rackets can be purchased rather inexpensively and with local public courts often standing empty, this is another avenue to pursue. If he has a skill to develop, it will focus his time and pay off for everyone in the end.

Tip # 2: Spend Time with your Teen

Studies continue to show that another huge factor in the adolescent’s decision to get involved with alcohol or drugs, is when they experience a lack of attention from parents at home. The more time you spend with you children, the less likely it is he will be taking drugs and alcohol. The point here is that even though you have to go to work everyday, be sure to make them feel how much they matter to you. It is important that you take time after work each night to have meaningful conversations with your child. The more open your communication with them is, the more they will confide in you. This conversation will create an environment where they feel open to telling you if they are feeling peer pressure to get involved with drugs or alcohol.

Tip # 3: Use the Internet to your Benefit

Teenagers are fluent on computers and enjoy spending time on them. Use the internet in your favor by purchasing an online drug and alcohol awareness class. You can take these classes together, or let your teenager browse through them at her own pace. In these classes, your child will learn about the adverse effects of drugs and alcohol to the body. It will be explained in such a way that your teen will understand that drugs give pleasure only for a short time, but will harm the body for a lifetime. They will also learn tactics to confidently avoid and say “no” to drugs, even when their friends are partaking. Online classes specifically for young adults are designed to keep their interest and will arm them with the facts they need to know to help them stay away from drugs and alcohol.

There are times in almost everyone's life that he or she will be exposed to drugs and alcohol. It’s inevitable in today’s world. Keeping an open line of communication with your teen, getting them involved in a sport or other passion, and having them take an alcohol and drug awareness class will all help in keeping them on the right track this summer.

Warm weather and summertime beckon outdoor parties. The days are long and many hosts enjoy coming up with unique and delicious cocktails to entice their guests and quench their thirst in the heat. This can be fun and festive for those who are able to sip on one or two drinks throughout the evening and then call it quits. However, for people who are trying to stay away from alcohol, summertime parties can sometimes be intimidating. What are the best strategies to maneuver around the alcohol without calling attention to oneself ? How often have you heard, “have a drink and relax!” Explaining that you are fine without alcohol and are relaxed can get old and become your topic of conversation for the evening. Some individuals may not even feel comfortable divulging the information that they are recovering alcoholics. Therefore, having a game plan prior to attending the function is extremely helpful.

To start with, stay away from the bar. This is where you will find it most difficult to avoid other drinkers. So, either have someone you trust go get you a non-alcoholic drink or go up to the bar yourself, place your order and then go mingle across the yard or room. Try to keep a drink in hand so the hosts don’t feel obligated to push their “tastey” alcoholic beverages on you.

If you don’t want to have to explain yourself, don’t hold a can of soda, but something that looks like it could be a cocktail. Specifically, have your drink poured into a cup. This will make it less obvious and other guests will be less likely to question why you aren’t drinking an alcoholic beverage.

Be ready to turn down a drink if someone is being pushy. Look at the person directly in the eye and be firm by saying “no thank you. But, I would like a Perrier” or whatever it is you would enjoy. If you don’t want to come right out and say that you are a recovering alcoholic trying to stay on the wagon, than tell them you are the designated driver for the night.

Focus on socializing and catching up with friends. Get involved in conversations so you aren’t thinking about alcohol. Dance, play croquet, badminton, or any other games that are offered. Keeping busy will also keep you from thinking about or desiring an alcoholic beverage. Attending with or finding a sober friend at the party is also helpful and will make you feel more comfortable throughout the evening as others are beginning to become drunk and less tactful.

Lastly, be sure to have a well thought out escape plan. If it all becomes too much and you are thinking about having “just one” than leave! Tell people you have to be up early the next morning, pretend to take an important call on your cell phone and explain that you have to go help someone - anything it takes to get you away gracefully. Do not cave! It is absolutely not worth it. At the end of the evening, you will realize how much fun you had, how many meaningful conversations you will be able to remember and how many calories you saved yourself from, and will be thoroughly happy you avoided the alcohol!  Learn more from an alcohol awareness class.

According to studies, the average adult sleeps 7.5 – 8 hours every night. Evidence shows that lack of sleep can have serious health consequences like heart disease and depression. It is also related to lack of memory, car accidents, reduced alertness and overall irritability.

Do you like a nightcap to help you sleep? Sometimes people drink alcohol to help them relax and with the false sense that it will enable them to more easily fall asleep and get a good nights rest. However, more and more studies are proving that although alcohol can initially send you off into a sound slumber, it then disrupts it, waking the individual up way before the healthy 7 -8 hour allotment has been reached. A 1999 poll found 28% of American insomniacs used alcohol to get to sleep even though it creates unhealthy mid-night awakenings.

To say it simply, alcohol interferes with the normal sleep process. It can make you fall asleep more quickly, but you will not get a good nights rest. In the course of the night, an individual usually has 6 – 7 REM cycles of sleep, which is what leaves you feeling refreshed in the morning. However, you’ll wake up feeling tired after a night of drinking because the alcohol only allows 1 -2 REM cycles to take place. Studies also show that if you drink as much as 6 hours before going to bed, you can experience an increased chance of wakefulness during the second half of the night. Even Happy Hour drinks can be detrimental to your sleep pattern. So, if you’re experiencing insomnia, alcohol is not a solution to helping you get a night’s sleep.

Aside from altering normal sleep patterns, alcohol induced sleep can aggravate sleep apnea. Alcohol impairs your breathing pattern when sleeping by relaxing the throat muscles. Even people who normally sleep quietly tend to snore after a night of drinking. Another dangerous side effect is the increased risk of falls and injuries during the night when someone who is intoxicated gets up to use the restroom.

Insomnia and alcoholism can be chronic conditions and are often interrelated. It’s a vicious circle because an individual will drink to help them fall asleep, creating a dependency on alcohol. The sleep deprivation than encourages more cravings of alcohol consumption which in turn disrupts the sleep process. Unfortunately, quitting drinking does not guarantee returning a normal sleep pattern. Of course, the problem was there to begin with, and the withdrawal can also disrupt sleep. In fact, poor sleep and all the uncomfortable and unhealthy side effects are thought to contribute to relapse among many alcoholics.

To avoid getting involved in this crazy pattern, a successful solution is to take alcohol awareness classes online before it starts. They are conveniently available from the comfort of your home and are designed to teach skills to avoid stress and alcohol consumption, both factors in insomnia. They are taught by a licensed, practicing therapist who specializes in working with clients with alcohol or drug dependencies. The class is taken on a computer screen and a therapist can be reached to discuss any questions or concerns during the workweek from 9 – 5 p.m.