Teenage alcoholism is called dependence on alcohol, which occurs directly at the age of 10-16 years. This disease has some differences from adult alcoholism. It is not uncommon for children to become addicted and compulsive very quickly. Due to the fact that the patient does not have mental and physical maturity, there are somatic and intellectual disorders, as well as mental problems. All of them progress quite quickly. The diagnosis is made after anamnesis, examination and conversation with the child. Treatment is determined on an individual basis. The main role is given directly to activities that correct the mental state.
Characteristics of the disease
At the moment, the problem of teenage alcoholism and drug addiction is relevant. It is widespread not only in the Russian Federation, but also in all countries of the world. Often, alcoholism in adolescents develops within 2-3 years, with regular use of alcohol and alcohol-containing drinks. It should be noted that such dependence differs from the adult one in that children have obvious and gross problems with internal organs. Due to alcoholism, physical he alth worsens, and the degradation of the psyche and intellect begins. Often patients suffer from problems with the reproductive system. Girls become infertile. It is possible that those adolescents who previously suffered from a similar disease will have children with congenital problems. Treatment is carried out directly at the narcologist.
Statistics
With regards to statistics, more than 10% of children who are hospitalized in neuropsychiatric hospitals suffer from teenage alcoholism. In the 1990s, the average age when children tried alcohol was around 16-18 years old. At the moment, this indicator has decreased to 10.
Previously, according to statistics, a similar problem was most often recorded in boys, but today it is also common among girls.
Reasons
Most often, the problem of teenage alcoholism arises under the influence of not only psychosocial factors, but biological ones too. It should be noted hereditary disposition. Children who live in a family of alcoholics are three to four times more likely to become addicted to alcohol, drugs, and toxins than those whose parents do not drink. At the same time, this problem is most often diagnosed in sons. In Russia, teenage alcoholism, unfortunately, is very common.
Injury and mental he alth
In children, cravings for alcohol and other similar substances can causecraniocerebral injuries of various nature. The likelihood of developing this disease will be several times higher if a person has inherited psychopathy. In this case, the reasons for a teenager can be completely different. If we are talking about a child of the epileptoid type, then such children use alcohol in order to disconnect from the world. The guys of the schizoid type have a slightly different reason. They thus try to simplify communication with their friends and peers, and also try to calm internal conflicts. Often the impetus for the development of alcoholism is that the child is trying to stand out in the eyes of others. Asthenics often try to get away from the conflict with the help of alcohol, and depressed teenagers - to improve their mood.
Settings
Among the factors that contribute to the development of alcoholism at an early age, one should also include the environment around them. Thus, the family, the immediate environment, stereotypes and social attitudes directly affect. At the same time, overprotection, great control, excessive demands, double standards, indifference to the emotional state of the child, and so on, have the strongest significance.
Parental indifference
It is not uncommon for teenage alcoholics to have been beaten by their parents as children. This affects the behavior of the child in society, he tries to establish himself in society and become a leader. Accordingly, if a boy or girl gets into an asocial company, then it ends with theft, drug or alcohol use. An important aspect isthe fact that such children are usually quite sensitive to stress, impulsive and anxious. They have low self-esteem. Children use alcohol to try to have fun, relieve their fear and anxiety, and make it easier to communicate with people.
Features of the problem
Most often, teenagers try alcohol for the first time in the company. Over time, this develops into a group need. During the period when the child is not in the circle of his friends, he does not have a craving for alcohol, but as soon as he gets into his usual environment, this desire intensifies. That is why teenage alcoholism often arises from erroneous stereotypes about having a good time. Along with conversations, arguments, regular walks, listening to music and watching movies, drinking alcohol is considered a common thing. Such a group dependence is a prerequisite for the development of the described problem.
It should be noted that the stage at which mental addiction occurs in a child is smoothed as much as possible, it is almost impossible to determine. Unlike adults, this desire manifests itself only in the presence of “their own” group of people. Given that the child receives vivid emotions and positive impressions, the formation of addiction can be quite easy to miss.
Formation of a special worldview
It should be noted that over time, episodic drinking smoothly flows into regular drinking. Then there is no longer a psychological dependence, but a physical one. Unfortunately, childteenage alcoholism has a rather complex mechanism, since, unlike adults, a child quickly begins to deny the occurrence of addiction in him, ceases to control the amount of alcohol he drinks. A worldview of the type “without alcohol there is no normal life” is formed very quickly. As soon as this attraction begins to form, mental disorders immediately appear. The patient becomes lethargic, angry and lack of initiative. It should be noted that a difficult adolescence begins to intertwine with alcohol addiction, so a rather specific picture is obtained as a result. The latter sometimes leads to the fact that the patient's condition is greatly overestimated. If you change the conditions of life at an early stage of the onset of addiction, then in 90% of cases, most mental disorders that were previously obvious and noticeable disappear completely.
When a physical need is formed, psychopathological manifestations become stable. A child has a withdrawal syndrome that is completely different from an adult. It should be noted that the signs of primary dependence in mature people is a mental disorder, while in a child - vegetative disorders. That is, sweating disappears, the skin becomes pale, bradycardia appears. A little later, hysterical reactions, depression and dysphoria begin.
Compared to adults, kids can't go on a real binge. Nausea and vomiting persist for a long time if too much alcohol is consumed. Alcoholic psychosis in adolescents is almost never found.
Consequences
Teenage alcoholism greatly affects a person's condition. The intellect, the psyche and the body itself suffer quite a lot. Alcohol destroys neural connections that should be formed in childhood.
Children suffering from this addiction are very poor learners, they are not able to assimilate new information and process the received data. All patients who are dependent on alcohol are in an unfavorable environment. Certain teenagers completely refuse education, choosing low-paid jobs. Often these guys end up in juvenile colonies.
Even if treatment is carried out at an early stage, when the formation of dependence is just beginning, it still leaves its mark on later life. After therapy, many children choose the same way of being if they enter the same environment.
Organ damage
It should be noted that with teenage alcoholism, all organs are damaged. The activity of the body is disrupted, problems begin with the cardiovascular system, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and urinary. Pressure begins to jump, tachycardia and arrhythmia develop, cystitis, hepatitis, pyelonephritis and so on are observed. If a person cools while drunk, then, as a rule, this leads to infections, as well as a decrease in immunity. Given that patients suffering from this disease begin sexual activity quite early, STDs and STIs are spreading because of this.
Diagnosis and treatment
The doctor makes a diagnosis by examining and talking to the patient. If there is severe alcoholism, which is expressed by many diseases, as well as mental and somatic disorders, then in principle there will be no problems with its formulation.
If there are no pronounced changes, then overdiagnosis often occurs. Some experts claim that in 30-50% of cases such a diagnosis is made erroneously. Sometimes narcologists take demonstrative and imitative forms of behavior, where a child, drinking very little, tries to attract the attention of parents in such a way, for the symptoms of teenage alcoholism. Prevention should be carried out even in such cases. This is quite important so as not to miss the formation of dependency. Therefore, such overdiagnosis takes place, since alcoholism develops very rapidly. The sooner the diagnosis is made, the more likely it is that it will be possible to save the child from severe addiction. It should be noted that the patient must be completely isolated from negative living conditions.
If we are already talking about a severe stage of alcoholism in a child, then treatment is often ineffective. This is due to the fact that the boy or girl stubbornly denies that he has an addiction and does not consider his behavior abnormal. In this state, there is an intense pathological craving for alcohol. As a rule, the desired result is not achieved when using aggressive preparations or implants. The best effect will be observed if psychologicalbehavior correction by sending the child to a rehabilitation center. At the same time, it should be noted that then long-term isolation from the previously familiar social circle is necessary. This psychotherapy should be combined with studies, sports and so on. More employment in various areas of life is also considered an excellent prevention of alcoholism among adolescents.
