Dr. Sajid Mir
Consultant Medical Team at Docprime.com
The taboo around alcohol has significantly reduced in India. People have now started considering it as a medium to socialize, but this acceptance is not only limited to adults as it impacts teenagers as well. Despite having 25 as the legal age of alcohol consumption, the desire to booze is spreading like an endemic amongst Indian teenagers. It has been estimated that till the year 2017 the rate of teenage girls who do not consume alcohol in India has dropped from 51 per cent to 31 per cent.
Also, the stats obtained from the Global status report on alcohol and health, 2018 have some interesting information on the pattern of alcohol consumption throughout the globe. As per the report, more than 26.5 per cent of all 15 – 19 year olds are present drinkers. This accounts for 155 million youngsters (girls and boys) worldwide with 37.9 million in the south East Asian region alone. Prevalence of alcohol use among 15 year old students ranges between 50 – 70 per cent with a remarkably very small difference between boys and girls. However, the report does not give very specific data about only teenage girls but lays emphasis on the fact that by 2025 the total alcohol per capita consumption in children aged 15 and above will see a sharp rise in America, South East Asia and western region.
The root causes –
The above mentioned stats clearly reveal how underage drinking is becoming common in almost every nation. But what are the factors that encourage teenagers to run towards developing this lethal habit? Let’s have a look! One of the most common reason would be the urge to try getting high for the first time accompanied by peer pressure. Some teenagers often start drinking to feel confident and socially acceptable in their friend circle. Other reasons that contribute to this cause are low self-esteem, family issues, aggression, parents and siblings using alcohol, depression, anxiety etc.
What are the Ill effects of consuming alcohol for young females?
Alcohol addiction is a serious problem faced by our country today and a large number of addicts are young teenagers. Mentioned below are some of the most common problems faced by young females when they consume alcohol recklessly –
- Poor academic performance
- Behavioural issues such as getting into fights with their peers
- Memory problems
- Sexual abuse
- Effect on the mental and reproductive health
How to prevent alcohol abuse in teenagers?
Drinking and boozing affect the physical as well as the mental health of teenagers. Therefore, it becomes extremely important to prevent alcohol abuse from ruining the life of our youngsters and to do so parents should effectively communicate with their children so that they do not fear to share their problems and insecurities.
It is rightly said that the youth is the future of a nation and we cannot let a simple alcohol addiction destruct our most talented minds. Schools and colleges should actively carry out counselling sessions to raise awareness while government should become stricter in handling liquor distribution.