
More and more teenagers are drinking alcohol these days. By the time they graduate from high school, almost all adolescents report having tried alcohol at some point before the age of fourteen and that they acquire the substance from other students at school or the parents of their peers. Every year thousands of underage drinkers end up in alcohol related car crashes if not resulting in their own death than resulting in someone else’s death. Most drunk drivers end up surviving their car crashes. But even if the young adult survives the alcohol related car accident, the reality of the result of their choices damaging someone else’s life, or worse, taking the life of another person can ruin their young life and make them spiral even further than they may already be into alcohol abuse and or drug addiction.
The image of a drinking teenager may conjure piercings and tattoos, but not so fast, because the most put together and charismatic teenagers are just as likely to use illicit substances as the more obviously rebellious young adult. These days teenagers have a rough life. They are worrying everyday about school shootings, their grades, what kind of economy they’re walking into when they leave their parents side and if they’ll have to take out student loans that could cripple their entire adult financial wellbeing just to get through college. There’s a lot of pressure to measure up and fit the mold. Students who are on top of their grades and responsibilities may also be struggling with shame, loneliness, and perfectionism issues. These are some of the most substantial contributing factors for alcohol abuse in anyone.
If you suspect your teenager is drinking, try opening up a conversation with them. Start with compassion. Ask them about their stress levels. What they feel the expectations are that they’re trying to live up to, and how they feel if they can’t live up to those expectations. Ask them about substance abuse. If they are indeed using, there is hope. It’s important to get help immediate as underage drinking can become a severe problem if not addressed. And with the rise of alcohol related, fatal car crashes, it’s more important than ever to ask for help. Call us to find out more about medically supervised detox in Florida. The cost of detox in Florida is changing and, call your insurance to to find out if you qualify for full coverage. You can hear about our alcohol and drug detox and rehab programs in South Florida.