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“Between high school graduation and their mid- 20s, most young Americans have gone on at least one drinking binge, and nearly 7 percent have become chronic binge drinkers.” (according to a University of Michigan study) What do you think is the motivation for young adults to drink heavily? Is there a serious issue with young adults engaging in regular and excessive drinking and if so, what should be done about it?
Nothing new here.
Breaking barriers, normal teen rebellion, being an "adult". Some of it's linked to the "forbidden fruit" aspect our society has in regards to alcohol.
“Between high school graduation and their mid- 20s, most young Americans have gone on at least one drinking binge, and nearly 7 percent have become chronic binge drinkers.” (according to a University of Michigan study) What do you think is the motivation for young adults to drink heavily? Is there a serious issue with young adults engaging in regular and excessive drinking and if so, what should be done about it?
It can be serious. The Navy has something called a "Drunk Watch". Someone comes back to the ship excessively drunk/passed out and so someone sober needs to watch them as they sleep. If they begin vomiting while on their back, we're to roll them over so they don't drown. If they stop breathing, we're to call a medical emergency so they can try to revive him. Until they arrive, we're to perform CPR. Alcohol poisoning has killed many sailors and college students. What makes it worse is some of the pary drugs used will dehydrate the body do dangerous levels. Combine that with alcohol, also dehydrates the body, and you have a deadly combination.
I am concerned about the increase in excessive drinking especially among females. Looking at some relatives' Facebook pages, it seems the thing to post with a drink in hand or tons of photos of the rowdy parties.
As a parent, how do you discourage it? We are not drinkers - a social drink once in a while, not the preachy type but our views are known to our children.
What happens when your young adult is away at school? Away living on their own?
Really it needs to become as socially unacceptable to drink excessively as it has become to smoke. Alcohol access as a "right of adult passage" needs to be downplayed in our society.
“Between high school graduation and their mid- 20s, most young Americans have gone on at least one drinking binge, and nearly 7 percent have become chronic binge drinkers.” (according to a University of Michigan study) What do you think is the motivation for young adults to drink heavily? Is there a serious issue with young adults engaging in regular and excessive drinking and if so, what should be done about it?
I don't think that drinking alcohol is the problem but, rather, the abuse of alcohol and/or teenagers and young adults not learning how to consume alcohol responsibly (i.e. without abusing it).
The irony, of course, is that U.S. culture creates the problem it is trying to avoid by prohibiting it. In Europe, adolescents are taught from a very young age how to consume alcohol without abusing it (usually wine, which can actually be quite good for you if not abused). Because alcohol is not prohibited/taboo, etc. at an early age, it gives parents the opportunity to educate their children re: alcohol in a supervised environment. And b/c adults are involved from a very early age, it is never viewed as socially acceptable or cool or rebellious to get wasted, b/c anyone can do it.
I'd like to hear from some young adults who displayed some outrageous drinking behaviors - does it wear off? Is the party that addictive?
Beer drinkers? This, I understand, has also grown among females.
Reason for the excess drinking?
To fit in, to loosen up inhibitions, the camraderie.
When I was 18, we could legally drink--this was before MADD and the raising of the drinking age. That's what we did on weekends. That was the point of going out to a bar--to get drunk. Everyone I knew did this, and it wasn't until I was older that I realized not everyone my age drank like that. I outgrew it. I had a job to hang onto and eventually a kid to raise.
My daughter, however, is now 18 and extremely anti-drinking, partly because she has seen alcoholism up close and personal in family members, including her father (that's what hanging out in bars got me!). However, she's in her first year of college and had hoped to make new friends with her roommates (there are five in a suite) but only one other girl does not drink. The others all acquired fake ID's and go to bars every weekend and get trashed. She was just telling me last weekend that one of them threw up all over the couch of another suite of kids down the hall, as well as the kid who was sitting on it.
Drinking is huge part of college life. It was a big part of high school life, too, and I was taken aback at the number of parents who allowed the kids in high school to drink in their houses on a Friday or Saturday night, believing the kids are safer doing their drinking at home. There's a huge liability risk there if something goes wrong.
I'm glad my daughter does not drink. Alcoholism is a horror that tears a family apart. Most of the kids who are drinking will grow up and learn to handle their alcohol responsibly. Some will not.
I don't think that drinking alcohol is the problem but, rather, the abuse of alcohol and/or teenagers and young adults not learning how to consume alcohol responsibly (i.e. without abusing it).
The irony, of course, is that U.S. culture creates the problem it is trying to avoid by prohibiting it. In Europe, adolescents are taught from a very young age how to consume alcohol without abusing it (usually wine, which can actually be quite good for you if not abused). Because alcohol is not prohibited/taboo, etc. at an early age, it gives parents the opportunity to educate their children re: alcohol in a supervised environment. And b/c adults are involved from a very early age, it is never viewed as socially acceptable or cool or rebellious to get wasted, b/c anyone can do it.
This is true. My daughter's boyfriend was born in Germany. His mom is German and his father is American. On certain occasions the parents gave the kids a beer or a glass of wine with dinner when they were teenagers to try it and to let them know that it's part of the meal, not something you consume in huge quantities. By the way, the father is a church pastor.
I'd like to hear from some young adults who displayed some outrageous drinking behaviors - does it wear off? Is the party that addictive?
Beer drinkers? This, I understand, has also grown among females.
Reason for the excess drinking?
I was quite the crazy binge drinker through my 20s, though I never drove and had a 'buddy system' with friends to help keep me in check and make sure I made it home safely at the end of the night. We took turns being the designated "voice of reason". For me it was just something to do on the weekends. I had a pretty boring life otherwise with working, going to school, and other responsibilities.
I finally grew up and settled down, as I think most people do. Now I drink maybe 1-2 drinks per year.
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