5 Reasons to Think Before You Drink
Have you been at a friend’s party and people were drinking
beer or other alcohol? Have you ever thought about taking a drink? Underage drinking
is against the law (you need to be 21 to purchase and consume alcohol) and there
are a lot of risks associated with drinking, including death. We hope that these
sobering facts about alcohol consumption will give you all the reasons you need
to stop and think before you drink.
It’s Dangerous!: You might feel uncoordinated, have trouble walking and have
difficulty thinking clearly. Drinking too much can lead to dizziness, blurry vision,
vomiting, blackouts and alcohol poisoning — which may be life-threatening. And when
you’re young, it’s hard to tell when you’ve had too much.
It Can Result in Brain Damage: Three recent studies suggest that heavy drinking causes memory
loss and perhaps even permanent brain damage. MRIs of the part of your brain associated
with memory and learning was 10 percent smaller in those teens that drank regularly.
Fatalities caused by alcohol are more than SIX times higher for young people than
all illegal drugs combined.
It Leads to a Higher Risk for Addiction: The younger you start drinking, the more likely you are to
abuse alcohol and become dependent. Sadly, more than 3 million students between
12 and 17 years old begin drinking each year.
There are Risks All Around: Adolescents who drink regularly are associated with risky
sexual behaviors and academic failure, and are more likely to become both victims
and perpetrators of crime
The fact is that underage drinking can have a negative effect
on your life. There are serious consequences. So stop and think before you drink!
Think you or someone you know is at risk for addiction? Learn more about
how to spot
Get insights into underage drinking and read helpful information at BeingGirl.com.