Teenage Binge Drinking and its Consequences

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Teenage drinking is among the issues that have received respectable attention from researchers owing to its increase. In the United States as well as other countries, underage drinking has become a prevalent issue with often far-reaching consequences. Teenagers, who engage in binge drinking, are likely to be exposed to other dangers, such as psychological issues, drinking-related accidents, and violent crimes. The increased prevalence of this problem makes it imperative to understand contributing factors, which can help in policy formulation. There are various factors that may increase the chances of teenagers engaging in binge drinking. Some of the factors are socioeconomic, which can be altered to dissuade teenagers from abusing alcohol. Binge drinking can be caused by various personal, social, and economic factors; the practice may have substantial effects on the lives of teenagers, which may even lead to death.
Peer pressure is a leading cause of binge drinking. Most high school students, who engage in binge drinking, are usually in the company of others. Peers have a significant influence on teenage behavior (Kemp 49). Individuals who deviate from certain behaviors considered ‘cool’ by teenagers are likely to be influenced to join to avoid being left out. Teenage drinking has become very common to the extent that they may consider it part of their life. Most of them believe that drinking will give them a good feeling with no regard to the potential effects it may have on their lives. Binge drinking with peers makes them have the impression that they are engaging in ‘normal’ behavior. Some of them are driven into drinking habit out of curiosity from stories narrated to them by friends.
The other cause that may increase the ...

... middle of paper ...

... conducted has revealed that binge drinking may have substantial effects that may even lead to death. The capacity to pursue life goals can be compromised by teenage binge drinking. With the knowledge of the causes, interventions can be formulated to counter the problem.

Works Cited
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Alcohol and Public Health: Fact Sheets - Underage Drinking. 26 December 2013. Web 25 March 2014.
Health and Human Services. June 2013: Drinking to Excess: Adolescents and Alcohol. 6 December 2013. Web 25 March 2014
Heffernan, T, et al. "Does Binge Drinking in Teenagers Affect Their Everyday Prospective Memory?" Drug and Alcohol Dependence 109.1 (2010): 73 - 78. Print
Kemp, Jeff. Be a Parent Not a Pal. Brisbane: Australian Academic Press, 2010.
Lessa, Nicholas. Living with Alcoholism and Drug Addiction. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2009.

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