Help Your Teen Avoid
Becoming An Alcoholic

The first tool you need to give your teen is knowledge. Teens need to understand about drinking alcohol, about peer pressure and about saying NO. You may not be able to control everything they do, but you can give them the tools to make decisions with. If they lack these tools, their decisions will be made without knowledge, by bending to pressure and through fear of saying NO.

The second tool you need to provide is concerning Peer Pressure what it is, how to deal with it and still keep your dignity and friends. The third tool is, to show your teen how to say NO. You do not need to be a super parent or caring adult either, just one how can ask for help when you need help gathering tools and information for yourself and for your teen.

Many organizations exist to help teens and their parents to understand about alcohol and the diseases that drinking alcohol can lead to such as Alcoholism. As with any topic, adults should check out all resources first, before giving them to their sons and daughters.

Tool #1 Here are a few online resources to get you started gathering help and information: http://www.al-anon.alateen.org/ Alateen is a part of the organization Al-anon. The Website is set up in English, Spanish and French. Alateen has been helping teens for more than 50 years. http://teens.drugabuse.gov/ National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is a Website specifically set up to answer questions teens have about drinking and drug abuse. Dr. Nida will answer questions teens have as they grapple with the decision to take non-prescription drugs and alcohol. http://www.niaaa.nih.gov This is the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholisms Website.

You will find Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about alcohol, as well as up-to-date information on the very latest research concerning alcohol abuse and the disease known as alcoholism. There are many good books that you can find in local bookstores, online retailers like Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Here are just a few ideas of titles to search for: Buzz: A Graphic Reality Check for Teens Dealing With Drugs and Alcohol by Marcus Brotherton Alcohol 101 by Margaret Hyde Teens & Alcohol (Gallup Youth Survey: Major Issues and Trends) by Gail Snyder

Tool #2 Understanding how peer pressure can help or hurt us when we are faced with a decision is a very critical tool to have at any age. First the definition: Your peers are others who are in your same age group. Peer pressure is when you feel like you are being pushed into making a decision. The decision can have good results or bad results for you. The pressure can go both ways. Deciding if you are being pressured and if it is a good thing or not can be tricky.

Your peers are others who are in your same age group. We all deal with peer pressure, kids, teens and adults. What makes dealing with teen peer pressure a critical issue is that at this age, your children will be grappling with some very major issues in life at the same time that they are dealing with puberty and the opposite sex.. The combination can leave your teen very confused and looking for the easy way out, or be pressured into making decisions that they would not otherwise make.

You may feel anxious, sad, fearful, uncertain, nervous, disappointed over your inability to make a choice. These feelings are normal and are what makes peer pressure successful at persuading people to do things they may or may not do on there own. Teens especially bend to peer pressure because they need to fit into a group, or need to feel cool or respected by their peers. Peers often feel like respect equals conformity to the norms of the current fads and rituals.

Did You Know

The problems that come from being raised by an alcoholic are generally environmental and with a lot of hard work can be overcome. Generally, when a child is raised around alcohol and excessive drinking there is a tendency for that child to use alcohol as adults.

Many times children grow up and conduct themselves and their families in a way that is very similar to the way they were raised. It takes a conscious effort to "break the cycle" of addiction that they have witnessed and not carry on that same lifestyle to their children.

The problems that are genetic are more difficult to overcome but once the child is aware that her or she will have a tendency toward addiction they can change the way they deal with stress and other risk factors to help avoid alcoholism.

A gene can determine whether a person will have a tendency toward an addiction toward alcohol. In addition, there are personality and mental health examinations that can be done that can let a person know if they are at risk of being an addict. Professional addiction counselors recommend that if a person has the gene or tests positive on the examinations they should abstain from the use of alcohol.

The genetic push toward addiction is so strong that to tempt the body by using addictive substances is considered risky behavior and should not be attempted.

Tool #3 Everyone has the right to say no to something or someone that is doing or asking you to do something that may be harmful to you. Learning how to be assertive when saying no is especially important for teen to learn how to do. They are often in situations where saying no may be not cool or even get them into trouble. Having friends who have similar value systems can be very helpful to your teen.

Interesting Facts

Don’t be ashamed, don’t place blame, don’t ignore the problem, don’t try to solve the problem alone, don’t try to reason with a drunk person, and don’t get into the car with a driver who has been drinking.

They will help your teen to be strong, feel like they are part of a group and give them support against the pressures that teens face. Teens should practice saying NO with authority. Here are some suggestions: I (we) dont want to drink I (we) can have fun without drinking alcohol Just say no thanks and walk away (lingering or staying around will increase the pressure).

Alcoholism in the News

08/25/2008
Alcoholism in Hawaii to be House topic tomorrow (Honolulu Advertiser)
The House Health Committee has scheduled an informational briefing for tomorrow morning on alcoholism in Hawai'i and the reasons why the state has one of the highest rates of drunken driving in the United States.

Alcoholism in Hawaii to be House topic tomorrow (Honolulu Advertiser)

08/28/2008
Breaking the Bonds -- New Memoir Recounts the Author's Battle With OCD and Alcoholism (GlobeNewswire via Yahoo! Finance)
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Aug. 28, 2008 -- Do you keep checking little things over and over again? Are you caught up in routines you are compelled to do? Are there persistent thoughts that circle endlessly in your mind?

Breaking the Bonds -- New Memoir Recounts the Author's Battle With OCD and Alcoholism (GlobeNewswire via Yahoo! Finance)

08/27/2008
Miss USA Tara Conner teaching charm school? (Los Angeles Times)
The 2006 Miss USA winner who almost lost her crown amid reports of alcoholism, drug abuse and promiscuity is back in a new MTV reality show.

Miss USA Tara Conner teaching charm school? (Los Angeles Times)

08/28/2008
Study: 12 percent of Indian deaths due to alcohol (AP via Yahoo! News)
Almost 12 percent of the deaths among American Indians and Alaska Natives are alcohol-related — more than three times the percentage in the general population, a new federal report says.

Study: 12 percent of Indian deaths due to alcohol (AP via Yahoo! News)

08/29/2008
CMU professor charged with three DUIs in rehab (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
A Carnegie Mellon University professor who was charged with drunken driving three times in eight days has checked into a Virginia treatment center for alcoholism, his lawyer said today.

CMU professor charged with three DUIs in rehab (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

08/29/2008
Beacon House celebrates 15th anniversary of service (Fond du Lac Reporter)
Beacon House of Fond du Lac recently celebrated 15 years of helping women who are recovering from alcoholism and/or chemical dependency.

Beacon House celebrates 15th anniversary of service (Fond du Lac Reporter)

08/28/2008
Alcohol deaths common among American Indians (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
Alcohol-related causes such as liver disease and car crashes account for nearly 12 percent of American Indian and Alaska Native deaths, 3-1/2 times the figure for the overall population, officials said on Thursday.

Alcohol deaths common among American Indians (Reuters via Yahoo! News)

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Better Your Health

Alcoholism is a Widespread Problem


◦	What the Bible Says About Alcohol Abuse

◦	The Difference Between Alcohol Dependence And Alcohol Abuse

◦	What is the Attraction To Alcohol

◦	FAQ's About Alcoholism Pt 1

◦	FAQ's About Alcoholism Pt 2

◦	A Brief Summary Regarding Alcoholism

◦	Alcohol Abuse and the College Campus

◦	The Brain And Alcohol

◦	Health Risks For Women Alcoholics

◦	Holiday Survival Guide For The Alcoholic

◦	How A Child See's Alcoholism

◦	Alcoholism Detoxification Steps

◦	Alcoholism and the Workplace

◦	The Children of Alcoholics

◦	Common Questions About Alcoholism

◦	Tests for Alcohol Use

◦	Do All Alcoholics Need a Rehab Center

◦	The Dangers and Penalties Of Drinking and Driving

◦	The War On Drunk Driving

◦	How To Determine When Someone Needs Professional Help

◦	Some Facts About Alcoholism

◦	Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

◦	Diet Hints To Assist With Alcoholism Withdrawal

◦	Helping Someone To Overcome Alcoholism

◦	Alcoholism Risk Is Linked to Early Aged Drinking

◦	A Portrait Of An Alcoholic

◦	The Symptoms of Alcoholism

◦	Basic Facts About Alcoholism

◦	Hard Facts About Alcoholism

◦	Cautions Concerning Non Alcoholic Beer

◦	The College Campus And Alcoholism

◦	Dangers of Alcoholism

◦	Alcoholics Anonymous Steps 1-6

◦	Alcoholics Anonymous Steps 6-12

◦	What Causes An Alcoholic Blackout

◦	New Shot to Treat Alcoholism

◦	Alcoholism's Physical Effects

◦	Group Support For Alcoholism

◦	Threats From Alcoholism

◦	The Truth About Alcoholism

◦	Treating The Three Main Issues In Alcoholism

◦	Treatments for Alcoholism

◦	Vitamins and Supplements For The Alcoholic

◦	Recovering From Alcoholism

◦	Help Your Teen Avoid Becoming An Alcoholic

◦	What Is Alcholism

◦	Family Members Drinking Too Much

◦	Explain Alcoholism

◦	Who Are The Alcoholics

◦	Women Fighting The Consequences of Alcoholism

◦	Al Anon Support For The Alcoholic's Family

◦	Health Consequences Of Alcoholism

◦	Medications Used For Treating Alcoholism

◦	Screening Tests For Alcoholism

◦	What Is The Difference Between Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism

◦	How to Stop Drinking Alcohol without AA

◦	The Truth About Alcoholics Anonymous

◦	Alcoholism - Curable or Just Controllable

◦	The Causes of Alcoholism

◦	So How Much Drinking Really Is Too Much?

◦	Is Alcoholism Hereditary

◦	What Children Need to Know About Alcohol

◦	How to Recognize When Children are Drinking

◦	What You Need to Know about how to Set Up an Intervention for an Alcoholic

◦	How to Quit Drinking Without Gaining Weight

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Help Your Teen Avoid Becoming An Alcoholic

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Help Your Teen Avoid
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