Alcohol, Articles, Drugs

How Do Teens Develop Alcohol Addictions In The First Place?

When people think of alcohol addiction, they usually picture adults that are living on the streets because of their drinking problem. Young women don’t think of themselves as being at risk of addiction. Many young people think that they’re just ‘having a good time’ or ‘experimenting’ so their alcohol use isn’t problematic.

 

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But the truth is, alcohol addiction can affect anybody and young women need to know what the risk factors are so they can avoid falling into the same trap. Did you know that teen girls are actually more vulnerable to substance abuse? That means that you need to be extra cautious about how you deal with alcohol. Understanding how it develops in the first place is crucial. So, why do teenagers develop alcohol addictions?

Peer Pressure

This is the number one reason why some teens fall into addiction. They want to fit in and they’re willing to do anything it takes to be accepted. The problem with this reasoning is that you don’t always end up with true friends when you give in to peer pressure, and then your self-esteem falls apart because of that. You also become more likely to put yourself in dangerous situations (driving drunk, for instance). If you surround yourself with people who only care about partying and getting wasted, alcohol use is bound to progress eventually. People don’t feel like they can say no, so they continue drinking more and more until they develop a severe addiction.

Social Anxiety

Social anxiety is a very common problem for teens and people often use alcohol to reduce that anxiety. People often think that drinking will make them less inhibited and allow them to spend time comfortably in a social setting. While this is true for some people at first, the reality is that it does much more harm than good in the long term because alcoholism changes how your brain works. This can lead to panic attacks and other problems down the line. Eventually, they will become reliant on alcohol to engage with people and they will need to go to an intensive outpatient program (IOP) to manage their addiction. If you struggle with social anxiety, you need to find other healthy coping mechanisms to help you manage your emotions in difficult situations. 

Dealing With Difficult Life Events

Life is often difficult when you’re a teenager, especially if you’re living with family problems. Some teens find alcohol to be an escape from their everyday lives and they honestly think that drinking will make them happier. This isn’t always the case though because once your addiction takes hold, it can cause depression and mood swings instead of happiness. If you’re looking for a way to deal with life’s challenges, reach out for help before alcohol becomes a problem in your life. When you are facing challenges, talk to friends and family members about them. You will feel so much better and you won’t experience the negative effects of alcohol abuse. 

 

Alcohol addiction is a serious problem for young people and it’s vital that you understand how it happens in the first place so you can avoid falling into the same trap. 

 

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