College drinking and prevalence of underage addiction: Understanding the signs and symptoms of alcoholism and drug dependence

The prevalence of underage and collage drinking is further promoted by the easy access to alcohol and drugs with are also freely and widely promoted throughout society in all the medias available with very luring contents. Alcohol is the most abused drug among youth globally with the United States leading in youthful addiction. Currently available statistics indicates that more tobacco and illicit drugs are being used by youths below the age of 21. It is also frustrating to note that of all the alcohol consumed in the US up to 11% of that substance is consumed by people aged between12 to 20. That is not something to take for granted because early use of alcohol can draw young people into a host of problems and aggravate existing ones says doctor Dalal Akoury a veteran addiction expert of over two decades. According to the experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center a facility established by doctor Akoury to primarily deal with all matters relating to addiction, each year approximately 5000 young people under the age of 21 die as a result of underage and college drinking. This includes about 1,900 deaths from motor vehicle crashes, 1,600 as a result of homicides, 300 from suicide, and hundreds from other injuries such as falls, burns and drowning.

Besides that, it is estimated that up to 600,000 college students are accidentally injured while under the influence of alcohol with another 700,000 students being assaulted by other students who have been drinking and as if that is not enough about 100,000 more students are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape that is according to statistics available from NCADD Fact Sheet which are also in agreement with the above statistics. When we talk of the high prevalence of underage drinking, it is not small to be wished away because as a matter of fat there is evidence that over 11,000 teens in the US are becoming first users of alcohol daily by trying to use the drink for the first time and that translate into more than four million drink alcohol in any given month. Can you imagine of the impact that is likely to have on the society if they all become addicts in the future? As you ponder about that, let’s find out why young people often resort to drinking alcohol.

College drinking and prevalence of underage addiction: Why do some young people drink alcohol?

The reasons why young people take alcohol are not different from that of adults. Some of those reasons may seem obvious, however understanding the feelings and motivations behind them as well as how each teen’s life comes into play can be difficult. The following are some of the reasons why young people resort into drinking alcohol:

• Some young people often drink to check out from family problems or issues with school performance
• It could be motivated by loneliness, low self–esteem, depression, anxiety disorder and other mental health issues lead many young people to drink alcohol
• Young people turn to alcohol to deal with the pressures of everyday social situations
• Young people may drink to change their image or to fit in when moving to a new school or town
• Young people may drink to gain confidence or lose inhibitions
• They are more likely to start experimenting with alcohol if they have parents who drink and if their parents don’t give those clear messages about not drinking.

College drinking and prevalence of underage addiction: What are the risks?

Doctor Akoury is very categorical that there is nothing good about alcohol let alone the age bracket of usage. In fact it doesn’t matter what it is that leads adolescents to begin drinking, because once they start they face a number of potential health and safety risks. Young people who drink are more likely to be sexually active and to have unsafe, unprotected sex; they are more likely to be involved in fights, commit violent crimes, fail at school, use other drugs, and experience verbal, physical, or sexual violence. And those who start drinking before age 15 are five times more likely to develop alcoholism later in life than those who begin drinking at age 21. That statement must not be understood to mean that people should start drinking at 21, NO there is nothing beneficial in alcohol.

College drinking and prevalence of underage addiction: Preventing underage drinking

Underage drinking is a complex problem, requiring cooperation at all levels of society. Three basic approaches, however, have proven to be effective in prevention of the problem:

• Curtailing the availability of alcohol;
• Consistent enforcement of existing laws and regulations; and
• Changing norms and behaviors through education.

College drinking and prevalence of underage addiction: Binge drinking is high risk drinking

Binge drinking is a pattern of alcohol consumption that brings the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level to 0.08% or more in a short period of time. This pattern of drinking alcohol usually in less than 2 hours corresponds to: 5 or more drinks for men or 4 or more drinks for women. And without running away from facts it is plain and simple, it is high risk drinking, flee from it now.

The prevalence of underage and college drinking: Signs and symptoms of alcoholism and drug dependence

Alcoholism involves all the symptoms of alcohol abuse, but also involves another element: physical dependence – tolerance and withdrawal. Take a look: 

Tolerance – this means that, over time, you will need more alcohol to feel the same effect. Ask yourself if you’re drinking more than you used to? Do you drink more than other people without showing obvious signs of intoxication?

Withdrawal – As the effect of the alcohol wears off you may experience withdrawal symptoms including anxiety or jumpiness; shakiness or trembling sweating, nausea and vomiting, insomnia, depression, irritability, fatigue or loss of appetite and headaches. Do you drink to steady the nerves, stop the shakes in the morning? Drinking to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms is a sign of alcoholism and addiction.

In severe cases, withdrawal from alcohol can be life-threatening and involve hallucinations, confusion, seizures, fever, and agitation. Doctor Akoury reiterates that these symptoms can be dangerous and should be managed by a physician specifically trained and experienced in dealing with alcoholism and addiction and that is one of the many reasons why doctor Akoury founder this facility (AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center) where you can walk in any time any day and all your addiction concerns will be addressed professionally and in full confidentiality. So if this description suits you, I want to encourage you to schedule for an appointment with doctor Akoury today and your life will never be the same again.

The prevalence of underage and college drinking: Understanding the signs and symptoms of alcoholism and drug dependence