National Alcohol Abuse Awareness Month

REACH Across Johnson County, a community coalition that serves to raise awareness about drug and alcohol abuse, is marking National Alcohol Awareness Month by encouraging parents to take steps now toward ensuring their children don’t go down that path. 

Alcohol is the most widely used substance among teens in America, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Although studies indicate that teenage alcohol use has been dropping, about 29-percent of high school seniors reported having a drink within the past 30 days in a recent Monitoring the Future Survey.

The same survey indicated 18-percent of sophomores and 8-percent of eighth-graders also had consumed alcohol within the past month. Although most children younger than age 14 have not yet begun to drink, early adolescence is a time of special risk for beginning to experiment with alcohol.

CDC statistics indicate that youth who drink are more likely to be victims of violent crime, have serious problems in school, and be involved in drinking-related traffic crashes. And while some parents and guardians may feel relieved their teen is only drinking and not doing drugs, it is important to remember that alcohol is itself a powerful, mood-altering drug. Not only does alcohol affect the mind and body in often unpredictable ways, but teens lack the judgment and coping skills to handle alcohol wisely. As a result, alcohol-related traffic crashes are a major cause of death among young people. Alcohol use also is linked with teen deaths by drowning, suicide, and homicide.

Teens who use alcohol are more likely to be sexually active at earlier ages and more likely to have problems with schoolwork and school conduct. The majority of youth who drink tend to binge drink and a person who begins drinking as a young teen is four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than someone who waits until adulthood to use alcohol.

Research shows that teens are much more likely to delay drinking when they feel they have a close, supportive tie with a parent or guardian. Conversely, when the relationship between a parent and teen is full of conflict or distant, the teen is more likely to use alcohol and to develop drinking-related problems.

Ways to build a strong, supportive bond with your child include establishing open communication, showing that you care, drawing the line, offering acceptance, and understanding that your child is growing up.

Several ways to establish good communication with your child include:

• Encourage your child to talk about whatever interests him or her. Listen without interruption and give your child a chance to teach you something new. Your active listening to your child’s enthusiasm paves the way for conversations about topics that concern you.

• Ask open-ended questions that allow your teen to tell you how he or she thinks and feels about the issue you’re discussing. Avoid questions that have a simple “yes” or “no” answer.

• Control your emotions. If you hear something you don’t like, try not to respond with anger. Instead, take a few deep breaths and acknowledge your feelings in a constructive way.

• Make every conversation a “win-win” experience. Don’t lecture or try to “score points” on your teen by showing how he or she is wrong. If you show respect for your child’s viewpoint, he or she will be more likely to listen to and respect yours.