The question of why teens turn to alcohol is one that’s persisted for generations. Despite the awareness of the health risks and the way it negatively affects many who binge drink, teenagers still flock to beer and other adult beverages in droves. Both high school-aged and younger are susceptible to this kind of pressure in life. To understand the question, ” Why do teens turn to drinking?” we will look at three potential answers. Hopefully, we find the answers that may help us in dissuading teens from these kinds of risky and illegal activities in the future.
Understanding The Family History to Answer, “Why Do Teens Turn to Drinking?”
It wouldn’t be correct to say that one parent enjoying a drink from time to time is a sure sign a teen will abuse alcohol. However, family history can serve as a good measure to predict when a teen might be more likely to do so. Growing up around large amounts of drinking or alcoholism helps to normalize the behaviour of drinking for a teen. Alcohol in the home also increases its availability and access. A death in the family also serves to spur on this behaviour given the often inadequate support and coping abilities teens have when faced with loss. Family and addiction play a role in youth addict profiles. Problems at home can explain the temptation and why teens turn to alcohol for the support they might be lacking in other areas.
Understanding Peer Pressure to Determine, “Why Do Teens Turn to Drinking?”
The reality is that very few teens experience the pressure to drink in the way we’re told that they are. A teen’s peers won’t go up to them and bully them until they try a beer, for example. However, peer pressure is still a factor in causing teen drinking. This kind of pressure doesn’t come from the active requests to drink but a general culture of drinking among teens. If your teen sees all their friends drinking, it’s not unlikely they’ll have the temptation to do the same. Even if they ultimately choose not to, many will admit to not wanting to feel left out. While it’s easy to say a teen should simply make “better choices” about who to interact with, leaving friends behind is never that simple. Many still would not characterize drinking as a suitable reason to break those bonds, to begin with.
Why Do Teens Turn to Drinking and Other Addictions?
While the “gateway drug” theory of addiction is largely debunked, teen alcohol abuse often goes together with other types of addiction and risky behavior. Characterizing it as a kind of slippery slope is inaccurate but there’s still a good chance that teens could see alcohol as a means of getting deeper into the world of drugs and addiction. This largely stems from the culture around alcohol and drug use, the general fear of parents finding out incentivizing teens to stay secretive about their usage. This, in turn, feeds into the urge to use other substances like marijuana, either as a means of managing this additional stress on top of whatever caused the teen to drink or because of a “might as well” kind of attitude. This lack of openness and trust between teens and adults often means that the teen cannot get the help they need until it’s too late.
Our staff at Venture Academy can help you answer the question, “Why do teens turn to drinking?” While there’s no singular cause of drinking or addiction among teens, these are three likely culprits behind what may be happening. If you or someone you know suspects a teen in your life is partaking in alcohol abuse, drug addiction or other behavioral problems, get in contact with a drug and alcohol treatment facility like Venture Academy at 866.762.2211. We can help your teen get on the road to recovery.
