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No matter what some people think, alcohol is a drug and one can become dependent on it. Alcohol is actually a depressant. That means it's a drug that slows down or depresses the brain. Like many drugs, alcohol changes a person's ability to think, speak, and see things as they really are. A person might lose his or her balance and have trouble walking properly. The person might feel relaxed and happy and later start crying or get in an argument.
Alcohol assumption slows down the reaction and the way that body and mind work. Even one beer can change the way that decisions are taken, which may lead to unsafe sex, unsafe drive or provoke aggression from other people.
Besides, drinking in teen age may seriously affect adult life. For example, persons who first drank alcohol before age 15 were more than five times as likely to report alcohol dependence or abuse in the past year than were persons who first drank at age 21 or older. Alcohol abuse cause severe damage to memory, reaction and health in general. There are much more teens suffering from depression among drinkers than among their non-drinking peers. Drinking teens are at higher risk of motor vehicle accidents, fights or suicides.
Cirrhosis of the liver is one of the most well-known effects of alcohol abuse. Cirrhosis stops the liver from being able to clean the toxins (poisons) out of our body. Alcohol can also cause stomach ulcers that lead to internal bleeding.
Other effects alcohol can cause to the body:
- make one gain weight, as it contains high rate of calories;
- make one feel sick or dizzy;
- give one bad breath;
- make one clumsy;
- slur one’s speech;
- make one’s skin break out;
- make one feel out of control;
- cause addiction.
The short-term effects of alcohol abuse can also lead to homicides, suicides, and serious injuries. Over 38% of drownings, for example, are alcohol-related. Drinking also lowers inhibitions, which can lead teens to practice risky behaviors. Some risky behaviors, such as practicing unsafe sex, increase the chance of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. Other risky behaviors practiced while drinking, such as drunken driving or drug use, put teens at risk for immediate and possibly deadly consequences.
The treatment of alcohol abuse deals mostly with the behavioral patterns and beliefs of a teen. If parents notice alcohol odor from their child or observe unexpected changes in friends, clothing patterns or sleep habits that might serve as a sign for them. This is parents’ responsibility to make sure that their child is aware of real influence of alcohol on a young organism and to support their child in cases of peer pressure.
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