Teen drinking is a disturbing issue that affects thousands of families each year. Many young adults simply do not understand the severe consequences whichalcohol use may bring. During the holidays, they may see adults around them drinking and witness the enjoyment they are getting out of it and think itlooks like fun. As a result, they give in to interest, or peer pressure and fall victim to the affects of this drug. As a parent, you may wonder what youcan do to help your child avoid this suffering. Enrolling your teen in an online alcohol awareness class can be a beneficial tool in countering a drinkingproblem before it spins out of control. Below is some information regarding such classes and teen drinking which you may find interesting.
How common is it for teens to drink?
In early 2012, Joel Swendsen with France's Bordeaux University conducted a study on teen drinking in the U.S. He collected data from more than 10, 000American teens between the ages of 13 and 18. The results were alarming. Results showed that 78 percent of the teens had consumed alcohol. 47 percent ofthese youths consume at least 12 alcohol drinks per year. At least 15 percent met enough of the criteria to be considered alcoholics.
What are the signs your teenager is drinking alcohol?
There are a barrage of signs, which indicate teen drinking. Observing your child daily and watching for such indications is imperative in preventing teenalcohol abuse. Here are some things to look for.
• Ongoing fatigue or sleep disorders
• Red, irritated, or blood shot eyes
• Unexplained moodiness or severe fluctuating moods
• Unexplained anger at sporadic times
• Having periods of time which they can not remember or account for anything
• Sudden increases of decreases of weight
• Lack of concentration
• Slurred speech
• Imbalance in walking
• Sudden decline in school work
• Loss of interest in normal activities
• Change of friends
• Change of physical appearance or neatness
• Unexplained bruises or injuries such as those associated with falling down
• Frequent headaches, vomiting, nausea, or sensitivity to sound
What causes teen drinking?
Teen drinking may stem from a variety of factors. The most common one is peer pressure. Teens have a desire to fit in among other kids their age. They wantto make friends and don’t want to be different. As a result, they often go along with whatever the crowd is doing. Other triggers may be genetics, familyissues, and life stress.
What are the benefits of an online alcohol awareness class?
Teens from junior high school to college may receive great benefits from participating in an online alcohol awareness class. Such a course demonstrates therisks and consequences associated with underage drinking and alcohol abuse. As well, awareness classes provide teens with a barrage of methods and copingskills for dealing with the peer pressure, which may lead to drinking. These classes provide a wide set of needed skills to avoid falling into the alcoholtrap.
Classes are not only educational but are convenient. They can be taken from any Internet based computer in the home, so parents don’t need to drive theirkids to meet a predetermined class schedule. Once you register, the classes are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so the child can fit it into theirbusy schedules whenever she has time. And, they are low in cost for a wealth of information.