The latest addiction for teenagers

A startling study recently conducted has shown that binge drinking in teenagers is on the increase and seems to be the latest addiction when it comes to teenagers.

In a recent survey on teenagers in the US over 45% of those attending college and a third of seniors in high school admitted to binge drinking on at least one occasion during the previous two weeks of being asked. The problem is not just confined to the US, binge drinking in teenagers in a wide spread occurrence around the world and is increasingly becoming a problem.

Binge drinking is the drinking of more than 5 alcoholic drinks following one another on a single occasion and it has been reported by the National centre for addiction and substance abuse that more than five million high school students are reported to binge drink at least once a month and this figure is on the increase.

Addicted to alcohol

Alcohol is one substance that can be bought anywhere in the world at almost anytime, night or day yet alcohol is responsible for more deaths than all the other drugs put together. Alcohol is a hypnotic drug that depresses the body’s central nervous system, most adults will admit to drinking on a social basis and enjoying doing so but statistics have shown that about 1 in 5 men and 1 in seven women drink more than is safe and recommended to maintain good health.

What are the effects of alcohol?

The effects alcohol has on a person will depend greatly on the person constitution, how much they drink and how fast they drink but the overall effects that alcohol produces are:

• Slurred speech
• Loss of coordination and balance
• Unsteady on the feet when trying to walk or even when standing
• Impaired judgment and lack of attention
• Drowsiness or sleep

Drinking alcohol is relatively small doses every now and again is generally fine and can relax a person and help them have an enjoyable evening with friends, while drinking in large amounts leads to un-coordination bad decision making and drowsiness.