Teen Drinking | Teen Ink

Teen Drinking MAG

By Anonymous

Have you ever been offered an alcoholic beverage? What about someone saying “Don’t worry, just have one little sip”? Most people have their first drink by the time they’re 13. That first drink can be the start of a troubled life.

Drinking can make teens feel good, but that lasts only a short time. Teenagers on shows like “Gossip Girl” or “Degrassi” get drunk regularly, but those shows rarely ­explore the problems alcohol can cause. ­Alcohol clouds your brain and hinders your ability to make decisions. Excessive drinking literally makes your brain shrink and can cause serious damage. Binge drinking can cause learning disabilities and damage your memory. It distorts your ­vision and leads to blackouts. Teenagers often think that drinking will give you more energy, but alcohol isn’t an energy drink; it’s a depressant.

Drinking alcohol affects your inhibitions and makes you do things you wouldn’t if you were sober. Many girls get pregnant and drop out of school because they make the mistake of drinking too much and having unprotected sex. Twelve percent of 15- to 17-year-olds reported having unprotected sex when drinking or using drugs. Also, 24 percent said that because of drinking or drugs they had “done more” sexually than they had intended.

Sometimes girls don’t have a choice. Rape also happens when people drink too much. It only takes one night to mess up your life.

Drinking and driving is one of the top causes of death for teen boys. An alcohol-­related motor vehicle crash kills one person every 33 minutes and injures someone every two minutes. The rate of teenagers driving drunk is so high that the government is trying to pass new laws restricting teen driving.

When we get to high school, friends start pressuring us to drink. High school students see alcohol as glamorous and a way to become popular. I created a survey at my school. Twenty-four of the 63 respondents predicted they would drink in high school. Eleven said maybe, and 28 said they don’t plan on drinking.

Regardless of what they say now, things can change. Teens starting high school want to fit in. They ­often go from being top dog in junior high to being “fresh meat.” Some people will do anything to be accepted, including potentially hurting themselves. They think that one drink won’t do anything. A little bit of alcohol probably won’t kill you, but it can lead to poor decisions.

I’ve been pressured to do many things, ­including drinking. Drinking causes you to be vulnerable; be safe. High school is the time to experiment with what you want to do in life, but if you’re experimenting with alcohol you could hurt someone, including ­yourself.



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This article has 159 comments.


on Oct. 3 2011 at 9:37 pm
ExtrovertedIntrovert, Grantsburg, Wisconsin
0 articles 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know" -Hemmingway,
"To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist. That is all." -Oscar Wilde,
"It was just that; a character, a person I aspired to be." -Anonymous

There is definitely something not right about it. That's what I was referring to. Teens shouldn't drink, because it's illegal and morally wrong, but they 'mix' anyways- Having them realizize these points is what'll make a difference instead of laws, or stricter rules, so on. Saying it isn'y healthy, though, isn't going to change everyone's minds, unfortunately. But that's a good point.

liddygw BRONZE said...
on Sep. 18 2011 at 2:57 pm
liddygw BRONZE, New York, New York
1 article 0 photos 10 comments
Important piece.

Flipol said...
on Sep. 16 2011 at 10:39 am
I totally understand what the article is saying....I feel that a lot of the time, teens are pressured a lot and that may cause an increase in the amount of teens that drink. I also believe that when teens see older people drinking and everything, they tend to follow what they see....over all...great article....

-Duckie- GOLD said...
on Aug. 27 2011 at 4:06 pm
-Duckie- GOLD, West Fargo, North Dakota
18 articles 0 photos 127 comments

Favorite Quote:
Your heart is a weapon the size of your fist. Keep fighting. Keep loving.
-Anonymous

Agreed on the FDA thing. It's almost like all those anti-bullying shows they show us ALL DAY in school, which I for one get very annoyed with. there has got ot be a better way. Someone should write a good piece on that- I can't

hallie523 said...
on Jul. 20 2011 at 3:56 pm
hallie523, Seattle, Washington
0 articles 0 photos 16 comments
Very true. It's a big problem. There are exceptions though. Like just drinking a few sips of wine a night with your parents for the taste. I think that if you have a safe environment like that and you don't have much that it can actually be beneficial because it makes it not new, mysterious, and temping, which is probably a reason why a lot of teens drink.

on Jun. 26 2011 at 5:35 pm
Thinking... man made clothes... Those are pretty good. And the idea of educating the young. And paper. And pens. And books. Man has made lots of good things. But aside from that, I do think that having a drink or two every once in a while I fine for adults. This article does target teen drinking, but you argued that drinking itself is always bad.

thecatch said...
on Jun. 26 2011 at 2:41 pm
I'm glad for your friends and its great that they share the how their lives have changed, to prevent teens from drinking. The only problem I had is that KPPPP is saying that drinking has a good side. Ask your friends who once were drinking if it does have a good side to it. So far all I have heard is bad accidents. Anthing that man makes is bad. Think about it.

on Jun. 22 2011 at 10:22 am
introducingshelby GOLD, San Diego, California
15 articles 1 photo 139 comments

Favorite Quote:
"People change so you can learn to let go, things go wrong so you can appreciate them when they go right, and things fall apart so better things can fall together."
-Marilyn Monroe

And yeah.. You're right. Alcohol is kind of nasty smelling. Smoke isn't any better. My neighbor gave me and a friend "lemonade," at a block party and it turns out it was margarita. It tasted like gasoline smells. |:

on Jun. 22 2011 at 10:20 am
introducingshelby GOLD, San Diego, California
15 articles 1 photo 139 comments

Favorite Quote:
"People change so you can learn to let go, things go wrong so you can appreciate them when they go right, and things fall apart so better things can fall together."
-Marilyn Monroe

Testing the waters is a part of life. Yeah, we shouldn't--it's illegal to drink underage. But that's all about growing up. I like what your article as to say here, but I think the two commenters above me have a point. In order to find out who you're going to be, sometimes you need to bend a few rules. But, at the same time, I'm totally on the same page with you about being against teen drinking. Finding out who you are and what you stand for, shouldn't have to come after getting drunk at age 14.

on Jun. 22 2011 at 9:57 am
@ thecatch: I understand that you KPPPP doesn't impress you by saying she got drunk, threw up and passed out. (S)he may be recognizing the fact that (s)he has made mistakes (haven't we all?) but has indeed learned from those mistakes. If KPPPP isn't drinking anymore, good for him/her. Either way, I am grateful that (s)he chose to share her experience. Two of the greatest people in my life nearly died because of drinking. neither of them drin now. I love hearing them talk about how their life has changed since then. I know they aren't bragging or trying to sound smart when they speak of their drinking experiences. They are just trying to prevent teens from making the same mistakes they did. I thin KPPPP has similar intentions.

on Jun. 22 2011 at 12:27 am
MayhemMadness, Lakeland, Florida
0 articles 0 photos 32 comments

Favorite Quote:
" Your not ready to live, If your not ready to die."

I think so to. And everyone thinks now'a'days that kids are dumb enough to ' go with the flow.' Well, Teens actual now do it to feel more mature, being curious , or because they feel stressed. I have experimented. I learned a lesson or two. Nice peice though.

lizzie said...
on May. 31 2011 at 2:50 pm

haha...good luck in life hun..bein high feels nothin like that

hope your ankle is better though!


on May. 31 2011 at 12:11 pm
TrixyDev BRONZE, Washington DC, District Of Columbia
1 article 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
There we were. All alone. Floating in space. And we realized life is just a dream, and heaven is whats real.
- me
Many more tho

theres nothing wrong with being curious.... and u know, not all people do it to b cool.

kalvin said...
on May. 10 2011 at 8:05 am

im fate

 


on May. 9 2011 at 8:38 am
xAMWxDR1ZZYxX43, Atglen, Pennsylvania
0 articles 0 photos 2 comments
true that good point lol

drizzy said...
on May. 9 2011 at 8:36 am
SPELLING???!!! LOL

Violasaur GOLD said...
on May. 9 2011 at 7:52 am
Violasaur GOLD, Hyde Park, New York
17 articles 2 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
"The warrior is not gauged by the force of his sword, but his ability to lay it down in peace."

Wonderful addition to what the FDA can't drill into our brains. Maybe what we need is someone like you to spread the word about.

on Apr. 25 2011 at 6:57 pm
sarah4president SILVER, Santa Clara, California
6 articles 5 photos 13 comments

Favorite Quote:
répondez s'il vous plaît

well written

on Apr. 18 2011 at 1:35 pm
ohsopoisonous GOLD, Salisbury, North Carolina
11 articles 0 photos 16 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I don't care if it hurts, I want to have control. I want a perfect body, I want a perfect soul. I want you to notice when I'm not around." -Radiohead.

I don't see a problem if it's a couple sips, not a strong enough beverage to get you too tipsy. I've had liquor before, being only 13, I only tried it for taste. I liked the taste. Haven't had it since. Just because you try it doesn't mean you're going to end up being hardcore on it.

N.B.44 said...
on Apr. 17 2011 at 9:50 pm
This was a much needed piece of writing. I think it is so important for teens to know the effects of drinking and how it can hurt someone instantly.