What is alcohol?

Alcohol is many things to many people: To little kids, it is a

curiosity. To teenagers, it is 'cool'. To responsible drinkers, it is a relaxant. To bartenders, it
is a job, their lives. To restaurant owners, it is a moneymaker. To actively drinking
alcoholics, it is heaven. To wives and husbands of drinking alcoholics, it is a waste.

Alcohol is created when grains, fruits, or vegetables are fermented. Today, alcohol is
used for celebrations, such as parties and family reunions. Since alcohol comes in so many
forms, such as wine, beer and hard liquors mixed with sodas and juices, there are many
ways for people to enjoy drinking it and enjoying it. But some young adults and teens abuse
alcohol. Teens seem to be getting a hold of alcohol at a younger and younger age. Since
alcohol is used to celebrate and have fun, teens that abuse alcohol most likely have no idea
of the affect alcohol and its abuse can have on their bodies. Alcohol is the most widely used
and abused drug among youth.

But, why do teenagers drink alcohol? It’s easy for adults to dismiss teen drinking as
a straightforward act of youthful rebellion but the reasons teenagers start drinking can be
complicated and varied. Peer pressure can be a major factor in contributing to drinking for
the first time as teenagers feel the pressure to keep up with their friends to fit in.
Teenagers may also drink to temporarily distract themselves from the pressures or worries of
life. Puberty is a tough time and teenagers may wrongly think drinking is a way to cope.

Experimentation with alcohol during the teen years is common. Some other reasons
why teenagers use alcohol are: curiosity, to feel good, reduce stress, and relax, to fit in, to
feel older.

However, there are consequences in drinking alcohol. Teenagers can think they’re
invincible but drinking when too young can damage health and wellbeing of young people.
Most noticeable are the short term effects, such as bad breath, bad skin and weight gain.
However, more damaging is the potential effect of drinking on the young brain. Teenage
years are important time for brain development.

With these consequences, teenagers must think many times before drinking alcohol.
Engaging in this activity will eventually affect their health as well as their studies. Thus, it is
better if you will not try to drink alcohol. Everyone makes decisions about whether to drink
and how much — even adults. It's possible to enjoy a party or other event just as much, if
not more so, when you don't drink.
 Drinking alcohol is like taking a drug. It is a form of drug abuse, and drug addiction.
This is a worldwide problem that many people are involved in. There are good effects of
alcohol if it is in small amounts, and in moderation. On the other hand there are bad short
and long term effects. The effects that a person will get are all based on certain factors like,
how much and how often alcohol is consumed, the age of the person, when the person
started and how long they have been drinking for, gender, their family history and last but
not least based on their health.

Today, alcohol is used for celebrations, such as parties and family reunions. Since
alcohol comes in so many forms, such as wine, beer and hard liquors mixed with sodas and
juices, there are many ways for people to enjoy drinking it and enjoying it. But some young
adults and teens abuse alcohol. Teens seem to be getting a hold of alcohol at a younger
and younger age. Since alcohol is used to celebrate and have fun, teens that abuse alcohol
most likely have no idea of the affect alcohol and its abuse can have on their bodies.
Alcohol is the most widely used and abused drug among youth.

A teenager is attracted to alcohol not due to its taste, but because of its effect that is
a state of intoxication. When they for the first time take alcohol, there is a feeling of a rush of
strength, a feeling of contentment, the mood rises.

But, why do teenagers drink alcohol? Teenagers’ motivation in drinking alcohol

includes: a) alcoholic environment (family, friends and strangers); b) increased claim to
adulthood (alcoholic drink consumption is a symbol of freedom, growing up, courage); c)
propaganda of intoxicating beverages in the cinema, on television, in advertising
publications; d) examples of friends, the search for companies with mandatory consumption
of strong beverages; e) development, with the impact of the relative’s guardianship, of
absence of will, lack of initiative, frivolity, unpreparedness for the living of outwardly well-off
children, who are afraid to overcome obstacles, quickly succumb to bad influences; and f)
particularities of the adolescent’s character associated with brainy deficiency due to
unfavorable pregnancy, delivery and craniocerebral trauma with a delay in bodily and
psychological development.

In addition, there are consequences in drinking alcohol. Teenagers can think they’re
invincible but drinking when too young can damage health and wellbeing of young people.
Thus, teenagers must think many times before drinking alcohol. Everyone makes decisions
about whether to drink and how much — even adults. It's possible to enjoy a party or other
event just as much, if not more so, when you don't drink.