The Dangers of Teenage Binge Drinking: What Parents Should Know

We try to teach our teens as best as possible about the dangers of drinking. Most of us know that drinking and driving is really dangerous. Some of us know that drinking and biking, drinking and skateboarding and drinking and hanging out with people you don’t know can have serious consequences as well. But often parents don’t appreciate that there is another huge danger out there. It’s called binge drinking.

Binge drinking is defined as having 5 or more drinks in one sitting. In my work I have seen countless teens who have ended up in the hospital because they plain old drank too much at one time.

Why? Alcohol is a depressant. That doesn’t mean that people get depressed when they drink (although that is often case!) Keeping it very simple, alcohol is in the classification of drugs that reduce the activity in the central nervous system, and lower levels of awareness in the brain. Depressants slow down brain functioning. How does this manifest? One who is drunk might slurs his/her words, stumble around, have decreased inhibition, get drowsy, pass out and even…die. Yes, they can die. Keeping it very simple again, if a teen (or an adult, for that matter) drinks too much too fast (binges), their brain slows down so much that it essentially stops communicating to the lungs that they should breathe. And you die.

Why are teens so vulnerable to binge drinking?

1. Teens are more susceptible to peer pressure

2. Often they will engage in drinking games that encourage drinking more and more in a very short amount of time.

3. They often drink alcohol out of water bottles or other containers where it is difficult to monitor the amount of alcohol they have consumed.

4. Teens are often physically smaller than adults, so can handle less alcohol.

5. And, based on typical adolescent brain development, they have more difficulties thinking about consequences of their actions…especially if they are drunk already.

All parents should be aware of the dangers of binge drinking. And all parents should communicate this information to their kids, even though they don’t think their kid drinks at all. Sit them down and talk to them about these basics.

And, what can teens do? Always have the number of a trusted adult (it may be you, but it may be someone else) in their cell phone that they can call. If a friend passes out and cannot be roused, don’t leave them to “sleep it off.” It sounds dramatic, but call 911. Have them help each other, because you can’t be with them 24/7. It could save a life.