Friends have a way of influencing your tastes and preferences, particularly during the critical years of high school. Being a teenager is rewarding and uncomfortable, but a boy or girl should never have to face the horrors of alcoholism. Sometimes, as the result of doing what friends tell you, you can fall victim to these terrible illnesses. This is what happens when you succumb to peer pressure, when people bother you or bully you into doing something should not be doing (in this case, alcohol and drugs). However, saying “no” is easy.
“No” is the Best Answer
Peer pressure takes place when someone in your age group is forcefully pushing you to make decisions or take part in activities that are against your better judgment or make you feel uncomfortable. In the case of this discussion, young adults and teens may feel obliged to do something their friends or acquaintances are doing just because of guilt or curiosity (an instant of unspoken peer pressure). Besides stress and anxiety, giving in to peer pressure can promote risk-taking, including experimenting with alcohol and drugs (or mixing the two).
Giving in to this problem and taking part in bad activities is can leave you feeling shallow and guilty, making you doubt your self-control and inner strength. Plus, if a teenager begins drinking alcohol as a result, they may not be able to make a life-saving turn and will walk a path towards alcohol abuse and addiction down the road. Studies have shown that long-term drinking during these critical years of life can impede brain development and heighten the risk of developing an AUD (alcohol abuse disorder).
Alcohol is not “Cool”
Research indicates that maintain a feeling of acceptance amongst peers can boost positive feelings in a person’s brain, and this process is especially influential during adolescence. Teens, in particular, are more likely to engage in risk-taking than young adults due to a premeditated need for accomplishing a goal or earning an award.
In the long run, however, teens who succumb to peer pressure and begin drinking alcohol and develop long-term issues can fall prey to deadly forces of reality. NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse) reveals that alcohol contributes to the deaths of 4,538 young adults (20 and younger) annually. In 2011, emergency rooms received 188,000 young adults (21 and younger) who had been injured due to an alcohol-related incident.
Always remember that alcohol does not have control over your life. You do. Are you suffering from a substance abuse disorder or addiction? Do you have a friend or family member suffering from one or more of these debilitating illnesses? If you do, get in touch with Asana Recovery today. Our counselors and healthcare experts are ready to walk you through every step of the detox and withdrawal process and rehabilitation and guide you towards living a happier, healthier, and freer lifestyle. While the road to recovery might not be an easy road to travel, we promise to help you every step of the way. Take the first step to stay fit, healthy, and safe.
The time for you to take back control of your life is now. If you are interested in one of our residential treatment or supervised detoxification/withdrawal programs, we are ready and waiting to speak with you at your disclosure. Call Asana now at (949) 438-4504 to learn how to overcome your alcoholism or alcohol abuse troubles today.
