April is Alcohol Awareness Month. Misuse of alcohol is nothing new. The goal of this month is to increase awareness of the damages it does to individuals, families, health and society.
Alcohol affects one at every stage of life regardless of age or gender. Graduation and prom time is an opportunity to try to save precious lives. Providing education and support to youth has been found beneficial in preventing alcohol and drug use disorders. Without these interventions, families and friends may be attending a funeral rather than a graduation. If that’s not a sobering thought, it should be.
George Koob, Ph.D., director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, stated, “Even teens who would not normally be tempted to drink alcohol may be drawn in by certain social situations, so don’t assume they have all the facts they need to resist peer pressure. Parents and trusted adults can play a meaningful role in shaping youth’s attitudes toward drinking.”
Close to 200,000 Americans die each year from excessive alcohol use. Four thousand are under the age of 21. In Massachusetts, 3,050 die yearly due to alcohol. Alcohol use is associated with violence, sexual risk behaviors, alcohol poisoning, injuries, motor vehicle collisions, cancer, liver disease, hypertension, alcohol use disorders and more. We spend billions of dollars a year in this country on productivity, criminal justice and healthcare related to alcohol.
In Massachusetts 19% of adults and 11% of youth binge drink. Binge drinking is defined as consuming five or more drinks for men and four or more drinks for women on an occasion. Heavy drinking is defined as 15 or more drinks a week for men and eight or more for women. It goes without saying that there are many other factors involved in unhealthy use of alcohol than this definition. Any alcohol use by pregnant women or youth under 21 is considered heavy drinking and unacceptable.
Massachusetts Community Prevention Services Task Force guides the government on alleviating the burden of alcohol abuse in our state. The focus on decreasing abuse of alcohol includes regulating retail licensing. Increased access is associated with increased use. Raising alcohol taxes is associated with hopes of decreasing consumption, as well as providing revenue to fund the damages caused by alcohol. Laws are in place to hold alcohol retailers liable for harm to intoxicated or underage customers. Enhanced enforcement of laws prohibiting sales to minors is important.
Youths’ brains do not develop fully until they are in their 20s. Drinking alcohol during adolescence can damage areas of the brain that control decision-making, self-control, memory and learning. Drinking before age 21 is more likely to lead to addiction. Warning signs of alcohol use include many behavioral changes, some associated with puberty changes. You know your child best. If you have any concerns, address it. These behavior changes include mood changes, sleeping or eating more or less, decrease interest in school, friends and activities, school work lagging, new and unknown friends, money or objects missing, anger and more.
Children whose parents talk to them about the risks of alcohol and other drugs are much less likely to use them. Middle school students and high school students are clearly at different stages of development. Preventative tips for middle school children include: know who your child is with and what they are doing, know your child’s friends, support them in choosing friends wisely, assure adult supervision and open communication with friends’ parents. It is important to spend time with your child even as they want to spend less time with you and more time with their friends. Set clear and reasonable ground rules and consequences. Reward what they do well. Be aware of your words and actions and its effects on your children. Research suggests sharing any of your own past misuse of drugs and alcohol may undercut the message you are trying to deliver. Focus on your child.
A few differences for high school children include a greater challenge to authority by this age group. Open communication with them can explain the importance of their well-being, health and future. Alcohol will get in the way of their goals and dreams. Support their steps toward earning trust. Reward good choices. Know the who, what, where and when as they head out the door.
Offer them a ride or option of staying put if they have been drinking. Holding a driver’s license increases a teen’s liability with alcohol use. We have all seen the tragedies of friends killing friends after a night out of fun. The consequences and grief caused by these accidents are avoidable and devastating. Create a driving contract that states no alcohol, ever, when driving. And for youth of all ages, empower them to never get in a car if they think the driver has been drinking.
Educate yourself and your child. Keep them safe. If you believe your child is at risk, speak to a health professional, school social worker, guidance counselor or substance abuse counselor. The Massachusetts Substance Abuse Hotline is 800-327-5050.
“Children are our most precious and vulnerable members of society. They are deserving of love, care and protection.” — unknown.
Take care of yourself and someone else.
Juanita Carnes is a Westfield resident and a nurse practitioner with 38 years of experience in a hospital emergency department and urgent care facilities. She served 30 years on the Westfield Board of Health.