How Alcoholism Starts

Alcoholism can seriously affect every aspect of your life, from your job to your family. The circumstances of every person’s alcohol dependency are different, but many of the same patterns can be seen in different cases. Many people begin to become dependent on alcohol when they drink frequently to deal with stress or to relax. As their body’s alcohol tolerance increases, they need to drink more to feel the effects of the alcohol. Eventually, they find themselves needing to have a drink—and then more than one drink—on a regular basis. If a person begins to experience withdrawal symptoms such as headache, depression, or fatigue after not having a drink, it’s a strong sign of alcohol dependence.

One of the hardest things about confronting your alcoholism is admitting that you have a problem in the first place. If you are interested in learning how to stop drinking in Fort Lauderdale, contact an alcoholism counseling center as soon as possible.

The Teen’s Guide to Recognizing Drug Problems

Teen drug abuse and addiction in Fort Lauderdale can have serious, lasting consequences. If you suspect that a friend or family member has a problem with drug addiction, you should seek help from an adult who can help him a teen drug counseling and substance abuse treatment program. Here is a helpful guide to recognizing the signs that your friend might have a problem with drug abuse or drug addiction.

Personality Changes

If your friend exhibits personality changes, that doesn’t automatically mean that he has a problem with drug or alcohol abuse. However, sudden and significant changes in mood or personality are a sign that your friend needs to talk to an adult or a professional counselor. If you notice that your friend has suddenly become withdrawn, depressed, anxious, angry, frequently tired or sick, or disinterested in activities that he previously enjoyed, he is exhibiting serious personality changes. If these occur in combination with other warning signs, you should talk to an adult about the fact that your friend might have a drug addiction.

Problems in School

Drug and alcohol abuse can make it incredibly difficult to keep up in school. If your friend has a drug addiction, he may frequently miss class, or stop coming to school entirely. His grades will begin to slip, and he will get poor scores on assignments, projects, papers, and tests, if he participates in them at all. He may also have tension or problems with school administrators, and be frequently called to the principal’s office or put in detention. If you notice that your friend is developing problems in school that he didn’t have before, you should talk to a trusted adult about the possibility of drug or alcohol abuse.

Difficulties with Friends and Family Members

Another common sign of a drug addiction or drug abuse is frequent difficulties with friends and family. If your friend is suddenly experiencing regular conflict with friends and family members that he used to get along with, he may have a drug or alcohol problem.

The Effects of Teen Drinking

When your child becomes involved in underage drinking near Fort Lauderdale, the results can be devastating. Alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse can significantly impair your teen’s physical, mental, and emotional health, and can impact every other aspect of his personal and academic life. Here is a look at some of the most common and dangerous effects of underage drinking.

Delayed Brain Development

Scientists have determined that the brain does not become fully developed until around the age of 24. The areas of the brain that continue developing in adolescents are areas responsible for stress response, managing drives, critical thinking, and understanding the consequences of actions. Underage drinking can significantly stunt, delay, or prevent brain development in these areas. Alcohol can also damage the frontal regions of the brain, causing lifelong neurological problems. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms may also cause seizures, which can further damage the brain.

Increased Risk of Emotional and Mental Health Problems

Underage drinking also greatly increases a teen’s risk of suffering from emotional and mental health problems. Teen alcohol abuse can contribute to depression, anxiety, personality changes, and other serious emotional and psychological symptoms. Chronic or heavy alcohol abuse may put a teen at a higher risk of suicidal thoughts, ideation, and suicide attempts. The neurological problems associated with alcohol abuse and alcohol withdrawal can also increase a teen’s risk of developing mental health problems later in life.

Social and Academic Difficulties

Chronic alcohol abuse can decrease school performance, and even cause teens to stop going to school entirely. Studies have shown that teens who participate in underage drinking miss classes, fall behind in school work, perform badly on papers and exams, and receive lower grades overall. Alcohol abuse and underage drinking also put extreme stress on a teen’s social and familial relationships. The other problems that result from underage drinking have a significant effect on relationships with family and friends. Teens also tend to lie more, break house rules, get into fights more often, and hang out with other teens with substance abuse problems, further degrading their social and familial relationships.

How Alcohol Affects the Brain

Because the brain does not finish developing until you reach the age of 24, drug abuse and alcohol abuse in Fort Lauderdale can have a profound effect on your brain. Underage drinking can significantly delay the development of crucial areas of the brain. Chronic alcohol abuse can cause serious, permanent brain damage.

Watch this video to learn more about how alcohol abuse can affect the brain. If you or someone you know is suffering from alcohol addiction or drug addiction, you should talk to a trusted adult about the possibility of participating in teen alcohol counseling or substance abuse treatment.

What to Do If You Catch Your Teen Drinking

Drinking is incredibly common among teens, and for some, it will not become a chronic problem. For most teens, however, the realities of alcohol use can be a rude awakening, since binge drinking and heavy drinking are much more likely in young adults and teens. If you catch your teen drinking, you will want to take action right away to minimize the trouble your teen might get into with alcohol. As you think about the next steps once you catch your teen with alcohol, keep these guidelines for a healthy interaction in mind. Whether the right course of action is laying ground rules at home or seeking professional help for alcohol abuse in Fort Lauderdale, these steps will help you get on the right track with your teen.

Consider your own relationship with alcohol

Before confronting your teen about his or her drinking, you should think about the example you set as a parent. If you have problems with alcohol yourself, it might be beneficial to get sober before trying to influence your teen not to drink. You should also think about any circumstances in which you might think it is okay for your teen to use alcohol. Knowing your own habits and establishing clear rules in your household will be the best way to send a clear message to your child.

Calmly get the facts from your teen

Confronting a teen about alcohol will be a different process, depending on the details of the situation. If your teen has been sneaking alcohol for weeks, you might have a different talk than you would if it was your kid’s first time drinking. You’ll want to take a good look at the facts and allow your teen to explain his or herself before dulling out any punishment or seeking rehabilitation.

Discuss the risks and pitfalls of drinking

Many teens will drink without fully realizing the danger of the situation, so it is important that you share an honest dialog about the potential consequences of drinking, both short- and long-term.

Alcohol and the Teenage Brain

One of the reasons that alcohol abuse is such a significant concern for teens is that the teenage brain is still developing. In fact, during teenage years, connections in the brain are reinforced through the processes of pruning and myelination.

As this video explains, alcohol use can inhibit these processes, which might permanently affect behavior, mood, hormonal balance, balance, and movement. Therefore, it is important to seek a rehab program in Fort Lauderdale if your teen is using alcohol. Watch the whole video clip to learn all the ways that alcohol affects teens differently and see the importance of getting help.

Signs of Teen Alcohol Use

If you’re concerned that your child is participating in underage drinking near Fort Lauderdale, you should take the time to learn how to recognize the signs of alcoholism and addiction in teens. A teen alcohol counseling center can provide your child with intervention services, teen therapy, and family counseling that will help you navigate the complicated world of teen substance abuse. Here is a look at the most common signs of teen alcohol abuse.

Behavioral and Emotional Changes

One of the first signs that you will notice in your child if he or she has a problem with alcoholism or addiction is behavioral and emotional changes. Your child may begin acting defensive, secretive, and may start lying frequently and rebelling against rules. He might exhibit bad behavior in school, poor grades, and infrequent attendance. He may become disinterested in his usual habits and hobbies. He might also start hanging out with new friends and/or isolate himself from old friends.

Physical Changes

There are many physical changes that are associated with underage drinking and teen alcoholism. Your child will exhibit slurred speech and a lack of coordination when under the influence of alcohol. If your child is hungover, he may sleep for unusually long periods of time, complain of headaches and nausea, and have low energy and bloodshot eyes. He may also look visibly exhausted and noticeably ill or impaired.

Changes in Cognitive Ability

After a period of regular alcohol abuse, your child may begin exhibiting changes in his cognitive ability. He might have difficulty concentrating or following conversations, television shows or movies, or school assignments. He may also begin to develop memory lapses or exhibit impulsive behavior or poor judgment. In severe and prolonged cases of addiction and alcohol abuse, your child may suffer from permanent damage to certain regions of his brain. For this reason, it’s very important to seek early intervention from a teen substance abuse treatment center so that your child can learn how to stop drinking.

Myths About Teen Drinking

It can be difficult to determine whether or not your teen has a problem with alcohol addiction in Fort Lauderdale. You may have been subject to some of the many common myths that surround underage drinking and teen substance abuse. It is important to dispel the myths regarding teen alcoholism so that parents are able to seek early intervention from a teen recovery center.

Watch this video to learn about some of the most popular myths about teen underage drinking. The video, from Mothers Against Drunk Driving, demonstrates some of the ways that teens view underage drinking and alcohol abuse.

Intervening In Your Teen’s Drinking

If your teen has a history of alcohol abuse in Fort Lauderdale, you need to seek intervention from a teen recovery center as soon as possible. The sooner your teen learns how to stop drinking, the better his chances are of managing his addiction and avoiding serious health complications. Here are some tips for intervening in your teen’s underage drinking.

Record Observations of Signs of Alcohol Abuse

Before you begin planning a formal or informal intervention, you should start recording your personal observations of the warning signs of your teen’s alcohol abuse. A professional at a teen substance abuse treatment center can provide you with a list of early signs of alcohol abuse in teens. Take note of any changes in your child’s behavior, appearance, habits, health, schoolwork, and physical abilities. This information will be necessary if you decide to proceed with an intervention.

Keep Track of Suspicious Behavior

When teens participate in underage drinking, they often exhibit suspicious behavior. You should keep track of this in the same way that you keep track of the signs of alcohol abuse. Write down instances in which your child breaks rules, gets in trouble at school, has fights with friends or relatives, acts defensive, lies, misses curfew, or steals from you. This will help you and the specialist at your teen’s addiction recovery center determine how serious your child’s alcohol abuse is.

Check for Alcohol or Missing Alcohol in Home

Teens often hide alcohol in their bedroom, or steal alcohol from their parents’ liquor cabinet. You should look through your teen’s room when he isn’t home for bottles of alcohol, drugs, or drug paraphernalia that may indicate that your child has a substance abuse problem. You should also be aware of how much alcohol is kept in your home, and take note of any that goes missing. You may consider locking up your liquor cabinet, or removing alcohol from your home entirely.