Teens Make Assumptions, Too Teens who binge drink say:
Consider these quotes from teens:
“A girl I know got so drunk that a friend and I had to carry her for several blocks, trying to keep her from burning us with a cigarette. Since then, she has gotten as drunk every weekend. It has gotten her into some bad situations.” “I was having a great night. I drank at least 15 beers. Then I blacked out. This is not unusual for me. Another time, I became violent, smashed bottles and got in tons of trouble.” These accounts sound shocking, but your son, daughter, or someone they know has likely experienced something like this.
They don’t believe drinking makes you sick or has bad effects. They are bored and there is nothing else to do but drink. They expect drinking to have benefits, such as improved socializing. “It can’t be that bad if everyone is doing it,” and “my friends won’t think I’m cool if I don’t drink.” Talk with your teen to correct his or her mistaken assumptions about alcohol. For example, six out of seven teens actually do NOT binge drink; educate your teen that not everyone is drinking though it may seem
at times as though they are. Teens Drink Differently
Teens often engage in intense drinking, called “binge” drinking. For males, bingeing means having at least five drinks at one time. For females, bingeing means at least four drinks at a time. Unfortunately, nearly 22% of high school teens have engaged in binge drinking. Colleges report rates as high as 60%. Sometimes, teens plan to binge (saying, for example, “Let’s get hammered!”). Other times, they get caught up with drinking games or parties that get out of hand. Teens who chug alcohol and drink as much as they can—as fast as they can—risk dying from alcohol poisoning.
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