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Consequences of underage drinking?
Hey im 15 and from Dublin.for the last year and a half i have been under incredible pressure to drink.because i refused at first i lost a lot of my social standing.my brother and sister started drinking at my age and are just fine.if i was to drink i would get drunk i want to drink socially.i would probably drink once/twice a month but very little.i have only found vague information about drinking effects online and im desperate to know what the consequences of light,social drinking will have on my brain.you have no idea the pressure im under at the moment.i dont want anyone telling me not to drink until im 17/18 because that is not going to happen.i just want to know some definate consequences to my brain.thank you
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I'm sure there is no evidence whatsoever to suggest that occasional drinking in moderation causes any mental harm at all. Come to think of it I don't think alcohol has ever been linked to mental damage, but drinking heavily may be a symptom/way of handling of mental problems. Sustained heavy drinking will eventually damage your liver, but it's a very robust organ. We're talking serious, heavy drinking here, over a long period. It's dangerous because it's so robust and has no nerve-endings in itself, feels no 'pain' and so you don't know you've damged it until it's well & truly shot to bits. Might point out that I said I'd just have the occasional ciggie, socially..when I was out (you could smoke in clubs then!). I wouldn't end up smoking every day and all that...but I did...still do. 'Best laid plans of mice and men go oft astray' eh?? I doubt you'll addle your brain with booze...just get some filthy hang-over headaches! You can do some seriously unwise stuff when you're well and truly leathered though. We've all done it, it's just a matter of degree and whther they have long-term implications that's most important. I never think it makes us what we are NOT, more what we ARE but magnified. So a person who tends to be aggreessive by nature will tend to get 'fighting drunk'. I get giggly, incoherent but talk a lot regardless, and basically like everyone. We're all different. A shy person may become more outgoing, because they basically WANT to be more outgoing. In this respect, look at your 'socially' comment. If you're going to get oblivioned it's not a bad idea to have good, true friends around who will tend to look after you and stop you doing something you'll badly regret. Bit of 'damage limitation'. I've enjoyed a drink since about your age, and my parents would allow me to drink at home, with meals etc as they did. I'd roll home ratted sometimes, still do sometimes. Show me someone who hasn't!! But don't drop the reins. ps. Can honestly tell you I've NEVER driven a car drunk...very bad form indeed...and don't get in a car with a drunk driver. Again, good mates are 'best defence' here.
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The advice solidadvice4teens gave you is good advice, it saves me the trouble of having to write the same thing.
There is no pure science on the long term effect of alcohol on the teenage brain. We do know for certain that alcohol is both a stimulant and a depressant. Great contradiction in terms for sure. The contradictions becomes a little clearer in the how and when the alcohol is used. In small doses in proper medical circumstances it is a stimulant and can be very helpful. In great quantities such as what it would take to get drunk it is a depressant.
It also causes you to loose all inhibitions. I don't know if you are sexually active or not thought for this purpose lets assume you are a virgin and intent to stay that way until you are at least 18. The loss of inhibitions caused by the over consumption of alcohol could cause you to be date raped.
Date rape is or has among its charges the inability of the person to consent. Here in the states you are under the age of consent in the first place and being drunk you are unable to consent as well . So if you were to have sex even if the boy said you consented or started it, it is still rape. Plus if you are a virgin you will have lost something very precious.
So to bring this all together it is not so much how many brain cells you will kill, the science is not truly there yet. The biggest danger to underage drinking is in the immaturity of mind and body to handle alcohol and the loss of inhibition that comes with it. For a female this is very dangerous.
You should never be pressured to do something you don't want to do. This includes drinking or having sex. No means no, not maybe, not twist my arm some more. IT means no and stop trying to force me to do something I don't want to do. If these are your friends they should understand. If they don't you need to find new friends.
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You know full well that for you drinking underage is NOT an option. Your gut tells you this. You have principal. Nobody has a right to pressure and push you to do anything. Those people AREN'T your friends.
Your real friends wouldn't do that so caring what they think of you really doesn't mean much when you think about it. I cannot as I'm not a biology expert tell you what it would do to your liver or brain except to say to excess would cause issues as would getting hooked on it.
Also if caught by cops at a rowdy party drinking you could face trouble there. What is to say if you caved to pressure here that you wouldn't with drugs, sex or something else.
A drink here and there for an adult whose body can handle alcohol is fine but for you it isn't and is breaking laws. So what if your siblings did it? They aren't you.
All you have to do here is tell them "Please stop pressuring me. I'm not interested in drinking. Respect my decision." If they don't than it says a lot against their character.
You could tell them you don't drink for a variety of reasons including how others in family had problems with booze or even say you have religious beliefs that are against it. Whatever the reason if they keep pressuring and don't respect your choices dump them.
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