Alcohol abuse

Alcohol abuse is not just an adult issue; with 3 million teenage alcoholics in the USA and another 3 million with a drink problem that they need help in controlling, alcohol abuse among teenagers out strips the 5 million cocaine users in the USA.

Alcohol plays a key role in car accidents, murders, suicides and date rape.

Effects and limits

• 0.05 -- Reduced inhibitions, poor behaviour, open to suggestion, lack of awareness, sexual inhibitions lower, attention span lower, slower reaction time. (Date rape victim is chosen most at this stage, date rape drugs might be used soon after)
• 0.08 -- Drink driving limit. About 2 pints of standard beer (car accidents increase dramatically at this limit.
• 0.10 - Slurred speech, unable to drive or perform other tasks, reaction times become dramatically slower.
• 0.20 -- Intense happiness, boldness, and motor impairment ( The Alco two step: one step forwards, three steps backwards, two steps sideways, and 5 steps forwards into a brick wall))
• 0.30 - Confusion short-term memory loss, cannot recall what day it is, or location, loss of bladder control.
• 0.40 -- Near-unconsciousness or insensibility cannot recall own name or address if they can communicate at all (this person should already be in hospital as the alcohol levels will still be increasing to coma level. That's only 2 more drinks to absorb.
• 0.50 - coma (should be in recovery position, head tilted back so airway remains clear, risk of vomiting may lead to blocked airway, so constant supervision needed.
)
• 0.60 -- respiratory paralysis and death.

Teenagers drink for the same reasons adults do, for social events and to have a good time, but like adults, teenagers drink to "forget" or "drown their sorrows". This could be things like fighting at home, bullying at school, sexual abuse, neglect, breakup of the family home (divorce) the list is endless. Looking for a solution at the bottom of a bottle is never the best way to cope, yet we (adults) do it, so what are we teaching our children? Drinking starts with the way our children see us as parents, they watch us pour a glass when we feel bad, so we are teaching them the that drinking solves our problems, were it just makes them worse after making us feel better for a few hours.

The most common and successful way for an individual to combat his or her addictiveness is through a self-help group, such as AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) or Alateen, with the advice and support from a professional. Treatment should also involve family members because family history may play a key role in the start of the problem and successful treatment can't take place in isolation. Talking about your problems does help. Its helps get to the root of it all and then you can get on the road back to a normal life.

When alcohol affects the drinker's behaviour, it affects the people around them. Mostly family and partners, they feel helpless and feel sadness as they watch a loved one on a self destruct cycle that seams to have no end. Violence might become a part of every day life as they try to reason with the drinker and try to get them to seek help.

The long-term damage of alcohol abuse can result in kidney and liver failure.

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