Alcohol addiction affects millions of people in the United States.
According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health or NSDUH, nearly 15 million people from ages 12 and up had alcohol use disorder or AUD.
This number is quite alarming in itself since it includes children who are about to enter their teens.
Nearly a decade ago, CBS News reported that 15% of teenage alcohol drinkers are likely to develop a lifetime of alcohol abuse.
In 2019, the NSDUH found that more than 414,000 adolescents from the ages of 12 to 17 had AUD.
Oftentimes, underage drinkers are more likely to commit or get involved in violent crimes and felonies.
Despite these numbers, there is hope for the next generation. Helping teens overcome alcohol addiction lies in the home.
It’s important as a parent to reach out and help your teen avoid a lifetime of suffering from alcohol abuse.
If you suspect your teenager of drinking to the point of addiction, consider these tips:
1. Have a healthy conversation
When it comes to reaching out to someone with alcohol problems, it’s important that you lay the foundation of a strong relationship.
For this, it helps to make it easier for your child to talk to you about their problems.
No matter how busy you are at work, it’s important that you sit down with your child and give them the avenue to talk about their struggles at school and with friends.
Having a conversation like this will help nurture trust and allow your child to open up about the things they do to cope with their problems.
2. Draw the line but don’t set too many rules
It’s natural for parents to feel hostile whenever they find out if their teenager is drinking too much alcohol.
After all, being underage, your child is still under your guidance and protection.
They are still subject to your rules, so you will want them to follow your guidance, especially when it comes to drinking or going out at night.
Then again, you wouldn’t want to set too many unhealthy rules.
It’s part of your responsibility as a parent to ensure the safety of your child, but controlling who they want to make friends with or refusing to support their hobbies will only cause a rift between you and them.
It’s important to draw the line, but you wouldn’t want to get in the way of their need to socialize and undergo healthy experiences.
3. Reach out to their friends
In case your child refuses to talk to you about their problems in every instance, it would be best that you reach out to their circle of friends.
Does your child have a best friend that you can trust? If so, ask them about your child’s performance at school.
You can also see if their friend has noticed any unusual change in behavior.
They can be your greatest ally in helping your child overcome their problem with alcohol addiction.
For one, they can help detect early warning signs of potential alcohol abuse or provide support if your child goes through a serious drinking problem.
4. Talk about why your child shouldn’t drink
Once you have made a healthy conversation between you and your child possible, you will want them to be aware of why they shouldn’t start drinking.
Begin with the obvious reason that underage drinking is illegal.
Other than that, there is also the risk of developing long-term liver damage and heart problems. As you talk about these risks to your child, don’t focus on instilling fear.
Instead, have a rational discussion and help them make the choice to say no alcohol on their own.
5. Know who to call
In case your child’s drinking problem has reached a critical point, consider reaching out to a licensed therapist that specializes in underaged alcohol abuse.
You could also get suggestions on how to make your home effective in helping your teen recover.
You should also get advice on the kinds of interventions you can apply.
For a more comprehensive treatment, you might want to bring your child to a substance abuse recovery center offering alcohol detox facilities as well as psycho-social interventions that cater to the needs of your child.
There is a lot that teens will need to experience as they mature, but developing an alcohol addiction shouldn’t be one of them.
Keep these tips in mind and help your child find their way out of the bottle.