Alcohol / Question
Published: December 28, 2006
Dear TeenHealthFX,
I am a 14 year old male and every once in a while I like to have a few drinks is this bad? I'm not an alcoholic but every once in a while I drink? How dangerous is this
Signed: 14 And Has A Few Drinks Once In A While
Dear 14 And Has A Few Drinks Once In A While,
TeenHealthFX is not thrilled about using the word “bad” here, but we certainly do have some concerns about your having few drinks every once and a while at the age of 14. For one thing, it is illegal to be buying or consuming liquor for anyone under the age of 21 – that alone makes this a problem. Plus, there are a lot of responsibilities that go along with, and consequences that come with, drinking – and teens generally are not physically and emotionally ready to be taking those on.
FX is also concerned about why it is important to make room in your life for alcohol every once and a while. Generally when teens are making the choice to drink on a regular basis, that choice is not coming from a healthy place. Whether the desire to drink is coming from peer pressure, a way to escape from unpleasant situation, a way to deal with negative emotions, an attempt to fit in with peers, or a lack of desire to participate in healthier extra-curricular activities – in the long run it is not going to be helpful to that teen’s emotional well-being.
In terms of your question about how “dangerous” the drinking might be, there are certainly a few situations that will make drinking particularly dangerous, such as:
- Drinking and driving – whether you are behind the wheel intoxicated or getting into a car with another driver who is drunk.
- Mixing alcohol with illegal drugs or prescription drugs as certain interactions of alcohol and drugs can be very dangerous or even prove fatal.
- Drinking too much, too fast which can lead to alcohol poisoning?
- Being intoxicated impairs judgment, and sometimes people will place themselves in risky situations when drunk, such as having unprotected sex with another individual
When thinking about the dangers of drinking, FX would like you to keep in mind that teens who regularly use alcohol have a greater chance of alcohol abuse or dependency as adults. And people who abuse alcohol for prolonged periods of time will find that in very terrible and significant ways it can negatively impact work, peer relationships, familial relationships, emotional well-being, physical health, and more.
For more information on alcohol use and abuse, you can read more questions and answers under the Alcohol category of the Alcohol, Cigarettes & Drugs section of the website. You can also contact the National Institute on Drug Abuse & Alcoholism, 1-888-644-6432. If you would like to talk about your own alcohol use further, FX recommends that you seek out a trusted adult to talk to, such as a parent, doctor, school staff member, or therapist.
If you live in northern
If you don't have a doctor and live in northern
Signed: TeenHealthFX
Teens often abuse prescription drugs because of the myth that these drugs provide a medically safe high.
