Young people see alcohol and drinking all around them
Young people are bombarded with drinking everywhere – on television, in magazines, in social media. Social media is a reality of our lives, the lives of our teenagers and even of younger children. It can spread images and ideas rapidly.
They may have problems – with themselves, family, school or friends:
Other than socialising or to unwind, one of the main reasons why some people drink alcohol is to try and cope with problems or stress. Arguments with partners, disagreements with friends, worry at work or anxiety can encourage people to reach for a drink.
We’d like to think our children don’t have problems but even young children stress over friends, school and family. Young people have as many things as we do that could worry, scare or pressure them. Help them find other ways of dealing with these issues. To stop them drinking, we need to find the real problem and offer a different solution to it.
Teenagers want to prove they’re grown up: Younger children will ask questions but ultimately are likely to listen to you and accept you saying “you’re too young”. Teenagers aren’t children, they’re adolescents and adolescents are apprentice adults – learning, but not quite there.
They need to prove to themselves, to their friends and to you that they are no longer children. Saying: “You’re too young for that” is felt as a red rag to a bull. If drinking is for adults only, they’ll show you and everyone else they are adults… by drinking.
The more you acknowledge the changes and their growing maturity, the more you give them respect and responsibility, the more they will accept it when you add “You’re growing up but your body still has some way to develop before you can drink alcohol safely.”
The AA Estcourt branch hosts meetings every Tuesday at Forderville Primary School from 7pm to 8pm. Contact Desigan on 082 849 3014.
Understanding underage drinking – part two
