Out of the total of our population, adolescents make up approximately 20% . Many of these adolescents arise out of families who have considerable problems. Many times, there are chemical dependencies , problems in their parents marriage where a child sees one parent abusing another, money issues and even mental illness. Based on these surroundings , and with teens going through their own hormonal imbalance and puberty, the moods of these teens are not particularly stable and this can lead to depression. This age group has a lot of psychological problems and are in urgency of counseling or psychiatry. Sadly to say, they turn to substances to get intoxicated to forget their issues , the most prevalent one being alcohol. The ages are getting younger and younger, with boys being approximately 12 and girls 13.
A lot of this is friends trying to make them do things they shouldn’t . Trying to fit in, wanting to be accepted, wanting to be part of the in-crowd. Some look at their own parents or older brothers and sisters and use substances as they do.
Once started and once alcohol becomes a numbing factor , the adolescent will continue to use alcohol or drugs on a ongoing crutch and it will become a pattern , leading to alcoholism. Alcohol can lead them to other drugs, harder drugs. Soon they develop a tolerance to their substance and they become so addicted, that they just don’t care anymore . It is possible that they will be seen isolating themselves , or out with friends constantly. There even may come the point where they do not take care of themselves in the way they dress and groom themselves . It actually comes to a point where everything seems to be uncontrollable and feel that the only way they can feel “normal” is to drink or use drugs.
Adults are having a hard time to understand and acknowledge alcoholism. Prevention is probably the best method. Taking into fact what is happening in the students lives, the friends they hang out with, how they are doing in school. Some parents have actually begun to be so concerned , that they have come to use portable alcohawk breathalyzers to determine the drug/alcohol level in their child’s system.
Schools themselves are using a breathalyzer when they see certain students who appear intoxicated or high on the campus. They use alcohawk breathalyzers as a preventative measure for school functions such as dances or games.
Teens will change friends to be around the ones who will participate or provide alcohol to them . Teens tend to blackout due to their lack of being able to tolerate alcohol. Controversial issues will arise more often in the household when the adolescents are drinking or taking drugs. They also try to run away, thinking that either they are the root of the family problem or just cannot cope with being monitored or held down .
If adults, teachers and parents, see that the child is changing in their everyday practices, it is time to sound the alarm. There will be fighting and verbal arguments arising with people who they believe want to control them. Their lives will revolve around drugs and alcohol and its use. A lot of times, in their mind, they understand that they are addicted but cannot seem to control themselves. They will lose their self esteem and become depressed. Suicide is common amongst teens who are alcoholics . The depression becomes so great that they can see no way out of their situation and feel ending it all is the only way .
It has become a concern amongst parents, teachers and peers over the concerns of teens who are alcoholics. It is of the utmost importance to delve into this situation and be aware of what our children are doing. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Sometimes using a breathalyzer seems like it is a form of mistrust, but it may be a preventative way. Actually teens need to know it is because they are cared about that such measures are used in order to keep them from more severe problems and even death .