Teens Drinking Alcohol Risk Brain Development Issues

From http://www.connectwithkids.com/
see the orignial article, and video at: http://www.connectwithkids.com/tipsheet/2007/320_feb14/thisweek/070214_alcohol.shtml


“And one important difference we found…was that the kids with the heavy drinking patterns were not able to retain as much information as the kids who were non-drinkers.”
– Susan Tapert, Ph.D., clinical psychologist

Every year, nearly 150-thousand teens wind up in the emergency room due to alcohol-related injuries. But new research shows the consequences of teenage drinking aren’t always immediate.
16-year-old Veronica Dyer is taking part in a long-term study. The National Institutes of Health is examining the effects of alcohol on the teenage brain.

“And one important difference we found…was that the kids with the heavy drinking patterns were not able to retain as much information as the kids who were non-drinkers, “ says Susan Tapert, Ph.D. – a clinical psychologist involved in the study.

“The subject on the left is a normal, healthy 15-year-old boy,” says Tapert, as she looks as brain images, “and the subject on the right is a 15-year-old boy who is actually a very heavy drinker. You can see that this is a really important area of the brain for remembering locations of things, and over here – nothing. [The heavy drinker] is not using these important brain areas to do this task, and as a result he actually didn’t perform as well on the task.”

Teens who drink twice a week consistently scored an average of ten percent lower on short-term memory tests, compared to non-drinkers.

In other words, says Tapert, “the heavy drinker is more likely to get a B, whereas the non-drinker would be able to get an A. So it’s kind of that amount of a difference.”

16-year-old K.T. Taylor says she’s been drinking heavily for four years. Now in rehab, Taylor says the alcohol has affected her memory.

“Yeah, my memory changed a lot,” she says. “I can’t remember anything anymore. I still do good on my tests – it’s just more effort than I used to have to put into it.”

Has K.T. suffered any long-term damage from drinking? No one knows. But Veronica isn’t taking that risk.

“I personally have never drunken even an entire drink of alcohol,” she says. “ A lot of my friends have and I have seen how it affected them. They’re slower in school and that’s all they think about doing. And they become addicted to it in a way and I don’t want to be into that, so I don’t do it.”

Tips for Parents

• Make sure your children know the basic facts about drinking: that it can lead slower reflexes, distorted vision, a loss of coordination, memory lapses and even blackouts; that is also can lead to poor judgment and lowered inhibitions – which can lead to risky behaviors like driving while drunk and unprotected sex; that drinking large quantities of alcohol at one time or very rapidly can cause potentially fatal alcohol poisoning – and that it’s illegal to possess or obtain alcohol under the age of 21. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
• Before you begin a discussion with your teen about drinking, realize that teens drink for a number of reasons – they may be bored, wanting to celebrate or “blow off steam,” looking for a way to escape daily challenges, or they may feel pressure from their friends to drink. When discussing teen drinking, set boundaries and make your child aware of the personal consequences of drinking – they could lose their place on a team, hurt their chances for a scholarship, they could lose their driving privileges or hurt someone and have to live with that guilt. (MADD – Mothers Against Drunk Driving)
• If you think your teenager isn’t drinking, think again. More than 10 percent of eighth graders, 21 percent of sophomores and 28 percent of seniors report recent binge drinking. (Federal Trade Commission)
• Help your child handle situations – and resist peer pressure - when they are offered alcohol. Many teens say they prefer quick “one-liners” to get around taking a drink, and avoid making a scene. Here are some sample comebacks to drink offers – from mild to assertive:
• No thanks.I don’t feel like it- do you have any soda?
• Alcohol’s NOT my thing.
• Are you talking to me?
• Forget it.
• Why do you keep pressuring me when I’ve said NO?
• Back off!

(Alcohol & Drug Council of Tompkins County - Ithaca, New York)

References
MADD
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Human Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Leadership to Keep Children Alcohol Free

Teen Binge Drinkers Most Likely For Risky Behavior

From www.connectwithkids.com


“Well, their judgment is extremely impaired. So, they’re much more likely to try dangerous behaviors and not even really have any kind of internal control over what they’re doing.”
– Heather Hayes, M.Ed., licensed professional counselor

According to studies from the Department of Justice, binge drinking accounts for 90 percent of all the alcohol consumed by teenagers. But the consequences for these kids are far greater than just a bad hangover.

16-year-old Renee Roe has been there. “Oh, we’d get drunk,” she remembers. “When we drink, we’d get drunk until we were like, drunk-drunk. Like, you don’t even know what you’re doing anymore, you’re like ‘ahhh’ - you’re like all over the place.”

So has 17-year-old Terrell Jackson. “That’s the only reason to drink,” he says. “I don’t believe in drinking just to drink. If I’m gonna drink, I’m gonna get drunk. Not only drunk, I’m gonna get ‘faded,’ I’m gonna get ‘messed up.’”

15-year-old Jasmine Williams says many teens just don’t know when to stop. “[They have to] have it ALL, like the whole bottle,” she says, “just get really, really drunk.”
According to the CDC, binge drinkers are five times more likely to have sex, 18 times more likely to smoke cigarettes, “four times more likely to smoke marijuana, four times more likely to get into physical fights with others. And there’s a higher rate of suicide,” says licensed professional counselor, Heather Hayes.

When kids are drunk, they make rash and often dangerous decisions.
“Well, their judgment is extremely impaired,” explains Hayes. “So they’re much more likely to try dangerous behaviors and not even really have any kind of internal control over what they’re doing.”

“We used to do stupid things, like sneak out of houses and go like, jack stuff from cars,” Renee remembers.

Terrell says when he’s drunk, nothing matters, “At the time that I’m doing it, you’re don’t really feel bad, because you don’t really think about it, because you could care less,” he says. “You’re just living for the moment.”

Research from Columbia University shows alcohol is the leading cause of accidents, murder and rape among teens.

Experts say it’s the most dangerous drug of all, “There’s not even a comparison,” says Jim Mosher, J.D., with the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation. “This is by far the number-one health problem that young people face in our society.”
Terrell, now in rehab, regrets the things he did when he was drunk. “I did a lot of stupid things while I was drunk, you know,” he admits, “like about a thousand things, really.”

Tips for Parents

• Act responsibly, and be health-conscious. A recent study suggests that parents who drink and smoke, and who generally don’t take care of their health, may influence their children to engage in risky behaviors themselves. (Center For The Advancement of Health)
• In families with two parents, it’s important both adults are unified in their approach to discipline. Seeing parents argue over rules and limits undermines parental control. (Council for Relationships)
• Parents should not feel comfortable with any drug experimentation by their child. Once you start to “normalize” drugs, you’ll never know exactly how much your child is using. (Armando Corpus, Thunder Road Adolescent Treatment Center)
• Remember you’re a role model to your kids. From the their infancy, they’re processing everything you do. They also observe how you cope with stress. If you’re showing your kids that it’s much easier to cope with life with a little alcohol, you’re sending them a message. (Randy Koch, alcohol counselor)
• Send your children a clear and consistent message: that you do not want them to drink before the age of 21. Do not make exceptions for special occasions like prom parties, spring break, or graduation parties. Kids who are allowed to drink at home will believe “drinking is no big deal to my parents.” This will make them more likely to drink outside the home. (Dr. Michael Fishman, Addiction Specialist)
• Lock up your alcohol. Two-thirds of teens admit they have stolen liquor from their parents without their parents’ knowledge. (Teenage Research Unlimited)
  

References
Columbia University
Department of Justice
Centers for Disease Control

See the original article and video clips here: http://www.connectwithkids.com/tipsheet/2007/320_feb14/thisweek/070214_binge.shtml

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