| It's a sad but true fact that alcoholism is not | | | | broken relationships or to relieve stress issues; |
| restricted to adults. Even though the legal age for | | | | whereas it is more common for a teenager to take |
| drinking is 18, a lot of teenagers become addicted | | | | up drinking because of peer pressure. |
| before reaching adulthood. Sometimes this is a result | | | | Any alcoholism treatment being considered for a |
| of peer pressure to be one of the "boys" or other | | | | teenager should involve family members where |
| times it is just a matter of wanting to be popular | | | | possible and also be age appropriate. It is quite |
| without realising the long term damage that could | | | | possible that a family history of substance abuse |
| result. | | | | exists, making it harder for the teenager to |
| When children start drinking at a very young age | | | | overcome the problem. But a family working |
| there is a greater risk of them developing an alcohol | | | | together with professionals can succeed in dealing |
| dependency that will require alcoholism treatment at | | | | with the problem. |
| some point in their lives to break the addicted | | | | There will be times when the best treatment is for |
| pattern that has been created. | | | | the teen to stay at an alcoholism treatment centre, |
| Having an alcohol problem can affect the | | | | but usually this will only occur with very severe |
| development of the teenager and their future life. | | | | situations. As with all programs the success or failure |
| Some of the early signs are difficulty in functioning | | | | depends on the individual and their own desire to |
| properly at school and an inability to study and | | | | succeed. |
| complete homework or exams. It is important to | | | | There are a number of support groups available for |
| identify teenage alcohol addiction as early as possible, | | | | teenagers who need help such as Alateen, Alcoholics |
| and seek a program that offers alcoholism treatment. | | | | Anonymous and Al-Anon. These self help groups |
| Generally the reasons for a teenager becoming | | | | provide a valuable service and offer an opportunity |
| addicted to alcohol are different to those that drive | | | | for the teenager to have role models to follow. |
| adults to the same place, so it follows that dealing | | | | Providing the problem is identified early and the |
| with the problem will not be the same; particularly | | | | teenager has the support of a caring family and |
| since the teenager is at a different development | | | | professional help there is every chance they can |
| stage compared to an adult. Adults that become | | | | restore some normality to their lives before |
| alcoholics are often trying to avoid problems, grief, | | | | irreparable damage is done. |