Question

Discuss in detail how alcohol can be a major concern during adolescence.

Answer 1

Adolescence age is from 13 to 18 years/ teenagers. Adolescence is attained when children are in high school and peer influence is very strong.

Causes and effect: They like to try out various things such as alcohol which is harmful to health. This can be by observing adults or trying to escape from stress. If they are too much into alcoholism, they may be given up studies and also lose jobs, if employed. The Society and Educational institutions may also refuse to accept them.

More alcohol-seeking or excess consumption of alcohol is defined by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) as “alcoholism” or alcohol dependence. It is a complex disorder that includes social and interpersonal issues. Long term and uncontrollable harmful consumption can cause alcohol-related disorders. It is contained in beer, wine, and hard liquor and is a chemical compound known as ethyl alcohol or ethanol.

Alcohol acts on the central nervous. the system as a blocker of messages transmitted from one nerve cell to the next. The APA recognizes alcohol disorder as alcohol abuse. It is similar to dependence in that the use of alcohol impairs the affected person’s ability to achieve goals and fulfills his personal and social responsibilities. It also affects his or her interpersonal relationship to a great extent. This disorder affects a person’s metabolism, gastrointestinal tract, nervous system, bone marrow, and endocine system.

Symptoms of alcohol addiction:

The various symptoms manifested by the person who is addicted to alcohol include the following:

Tolerance / Withdrawal / Disorientation to time, place and person/ Hallucinations, visual, auditory and tactile / Delusions of suspicion, paranoid feelings, delusions of grandeur reoccupation with obtaining alcohol by any mean/Disordered perception/ Overnight abstinence / Irritability / Nausea and vomiting. This disorder occurs twice as often in males than in females. It develops in people of all races and social-economic classes. The alcohol abuse depends upon the following causes. Behaviorally it relates to internal and external motivation.

Biologically repeated or continued use of alcohol can impair brain levels of a pleasue neurotransmitter called dopamine. Neurotransmitters are the chemicals in the brain which pass impulses from one nerve cell to the next According to Erik Erickson, adolescence go through a phase of role confusion. So they experience confusion even during social relationships. Adolescents need to be monitored well and if addiction develops, they need to be counselled and rehabilitated.