The Dangerous Effects of Alcohol on Teens

January 6, 2025

Mother comforts teen daughter while laying on a grey sofa together.

The CDC cites alcohol as the most common drug used in the United States. Its abundance and social reputation can make it seem appealing to teens as a cool, grown-up thing to do. But alcohol use at a young age can have a profound, negative effect on your physical and mental health. About 4,000 young people (under 21) die preventable deaths from excessive alcohol use each year. If we are going to change the rate of alcohol use in teens in the U.S., we first have to understand the effect it has on young people and the reason why young people turn to alcohol.

Physical Effects of Alcohol on the Adolescent Body

Alcohol consumption has an acute effect on the body, regardless of your age. The heart, brain, liver and pancreas are the most affected by prolonged or excessive alcohol use, but each body responds to alcohol differently. Prolonged alcohol use increases your risk of cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. However, the detrimental effects that alcohol has on your body may be more pronounced when you’re younger, as your mind and body are still developing. People under the age of 15 are particularly at risk for developmental issues related to alcohol use, called alcohol-related brain injury (ARBI). ARBIs can impair memory and balance and create learning difficulties, alongside other physical effects, regardless of age.

Emotional Effects of Alcohol Use in Adolescence

But alcohol doesn’t just affect your body. Long-term alcohol use at a young age has an impact on your emotional well-being too. According to the CDC, young people who drink alcohol are more likely to engage in other risky behaviors, including unsafe sexual behavior, drinking and driving and aggressive or violent behavior. Additionally, the link between alcohol and depression also can’t be ignored, as prolonged alcohol use can lead to a development of major depressive disorder regardless of your age. Finally, stress and peer pressure were cited as one of the top reasons why teens drink. Which means that alcohol use, both the practice and the perception, has a real foothold in the emotional lives of teens.

What to Do if You Suspect Your Teen Is Drinking

If you suspect that your teen may be misusing alcohol, it’s important to stay calm. An over-reaction may cause your teen to lash out in frustration and increase their risky behavior. Some strategies for approaching your teen about alcohol use include:

  • Start with open communication: Start talking to your child early about alcohol use in a nonjudgemental way. Try to refrain from using terms like “grown-up-juice”, and answer questions about alcohol use honestly. This can demystify drinking before peer pressure becomes a real issue and create a habit of discussion between you and your child. 
  • Share your own experiences: When talking to your teen about alcohol use, it can be helpful to use your own experiences as a point of connection. Be careful not to glorify alcohol use; instead, try talking about why you use alcohol and the feelings behind it. This may inspire your teen to talk about their own feelings driving alcohol use.
  • Offer alternatives: Your teen may not be comfortable talking to you about their alcohol use for a variety of reasons – and that’s ok. In this case, you want to be able to offer alternatives for trusted adults that they can go to. This can be a trusted relative, a school counselor or medical professional that they’re familiar with. This can create a support network outside the home for both you and your teen. 

The statistics show that it’s not a question of whether your teen will be exposed to alcohol, but how and when. If you start talking about alcohol and alcohol use with your child honestly and early, you can create a dialogue that may one day save their life.

Seeking Treatment for Teen Alcohol Abuse

If you think that your teen may need treatment for alcohol use, you’re not alone. Treatment centers for substance use, such as Behavioral Hospital of Bellaire, often work hand in hand with parents of kids in their adolescent programs. These programs are tailored to the specific needs and lifestyle of teens, and often take a family approach to treatment. Behavioral Hospital of Bellaire is offering a Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) called Branches for teens, ages 12 to 17, who struggle with mental health or substance use issues but do not require inpatient care. The Adolescent Branches program allows teens to receive therapeutic services in the afternoon or evening while still attending school during the day. For teens leaving an inpatient program, PHP can help ease the transition back into the home environment and lessen chances of rehospitalization. To learn more about our programs, and see if they are right for you and your family, call us today at 833-618-0017 or visit our service page.

Behavioral Hospital of Bellaire

Behavioral Hospital of Bellaire is a facility that provides specialized behavioral health services focused on helping adults learn the skills necessary to live successful meaningful lives. We offer acute mental health treatment in our inpatient psychiatric facility as well as less intensive outpatient care.

Located in Houston, Texas, we take an integrative approach to mental health by having our multidisciplinary work together with patients to create customized treatment plans that focus on their individual goals. Our programs include servicing adolescents, adults and older adults. Some of the conditions we treat are depression, anxiety, substance use and more. We also have a variety of evidence-based treatment practices, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy.

To schedule a no-cost assessment or for more information, please call 1-833-379-0017

Behavioral Hospital of Bellaire

Behavioral Hospital of Bellaire is a facility that provides specialized behavioral health services focused on helping adults learn the skills necessary to live successful meaningful lives. We offer acute mental health treatment in our inpatient psychiatric facility as well as less intensive outpatient care.

Located in Houston, Texas, we take an integrative approach to mental health by having our multidisciplinary work together with patients to create customized treatment plans that focus on their individual goals. Our programs include servicing adults and older adults. Some of the conditions we treat are depression, anxiety, substance use and more. We also have a variety of evidence-based treatment practices, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy.

To schedule a no-cost assessment or for more information, please call 1-833-379-0017