Let’s Live While We’re Young, but without Alcoholism

While being a teenager has its highs and lows, its adventures, and its crystal memories, many of what is seemingly “harmless” to our perceptions are actually serious problems that have become more prevalent in our youth society today. I’ve seen broken beer bottles and cans lying around the neighborhood right by my Junior High so it wouldn’t be a shocker any more if I see broken bottles near my High School. Even though Alcohol is thought as not necessarily an addictive “drug”, in fact, 56.3% of the Alberta Youth surveyed in 2002 done by the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission admitted to drinking the previous year. Alarmingly, the most used drug by Alberta Youth are none other than Alcohol products. The debate on who should carry the responsibility in incidents related to underage drinking is intensifying, but who should acutally be accounted for underage drinking? Classmates and friends we know so well could be the ones represented in this data.

Results and Regrets – When I was in Grade 8, Dwayne Peace, a well-known advocate on issues relating to Youth, came to our class to do a presentation on heavy issues in school; one of the strongest points that he used was that the consequences of underage drinking can lead to unexpected problems and sorrows. Drinking and driving incidents are often sparked by irresponsible decisions to “try out” a beer. Breathalyser tests can inform us on the results, but in many accidents, the truth is found out far too late and the harm has already been done. Many youth cannot resist their temptations, and as they continue drinking more and more, they lose control, which leads to Binge Drinking. Our livers cannot handle the sudden gush of Alcohol that is entering our body, which can transfer into liver damage and Alcohol poisoning. In extreme situations, this can even lead to death if the problem is not detected early enough. The Health Alliance on Alcohol even states that 24% of 16-year-old young people in Canada drink Alcohol every weekend!

Emotional Struggles – Through an outsider’s eye, the effects of Alcohol are obviously negative and drinking frequently is viewed as immature and a factor that shapes their opinion on a drinker. Through the young drinker’s eye, however, Alcohol could as well be the ideal “self-medication” for stress and other issues that are bothering them. Drinking is often portrayed in movies and dramas as a way to forget about the boulder characters are carrying when they walk, but what else does it lead to? Our developing brain sometimes just can’t tackle challenges and struggles in life; sometimes we have nobody for support and we are left with worries and even a glimpse of depression. It’s not truly the magic to heal the wounds; many teens that drink may go on to other substance abuse problems, which is even more detrimental to the emotional health of not only themselves, but other family members and friends. It’s a repeating cycle that does not break itself at the height of the crisis. Others may not understand what’s deep inside your heart—stress and depression are often hard to detect by others. While drinking can be “fun” at first, the guilt will add up to the stress.

A New Year, a New Lesson? – December is the last page of the calendar before we welcome 2013—as the festive spirit blankets over our environment, it’s also time to consider the landscape of your future. We as Youth are bright people with hopes and great proposals, but we also have uncertainties that we are often not willing to share. Whether it was just a dare for thrill or a new way to relieve our emotions, underage drinking can lead to unsafe behaviours. Even though we all come from different backgrounds and cultures, one important element is universal—care. If any of you readers are drinkers, I strongly urge to you stop in a way you choose; it is a challenging process and not a smooth transition, but only you can untie the knot in your heart and stop excessively drinking. If it’s too hard to tackle, assistance is always there. In our mind and soul, there is plenty of confidence to be replenished just by stepping on the path to become sober.

On a final note, here’s a student-made commercial on underage drinking. Kudos to BPace TheDirector on youtube for making this video!