A Teen’s Guide to Drug and Alcohol Safety

Teens experimenting with drugs and alcohol is all too common, but the potentially devastating effects of these behaviors shouldn’t be underestimated. Once you learn about the dangers of drinking and doing drugs, it should be easier to see why you should avoid them.

What Is Alcohol Abuse?

Alcohol abuse is a pattern of drinking alcohol that has a negative effect on your life. Binge drinking is perhaps the most common form of alcohol abuse in teens. It is defined as an excessive amount of drinking done in a short time period with the goal of becoming severely intoxicated. This can develop into a pattern of behavior that eventually leads to alcoholism.

• The Cycle of Alcohol Addiction: This page from the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism takes an in-depth look at the development and ongoing cycle of alcohol abuse.
• Understanding Alcohol Use Disorders and Their Treatment: Learn about the various drinking disorders that can stem from and lead to alcohol abuse.
• Alcohol Addiction and Abuse: Learn About Alcoholism: The Addiction Center provides a thorough explanation of what alcohol abuse and addiction are.
• Alcohol Abuse: Read about what alcohol abuse is, what its symptoms are, and how it’s diagnosed and treated by medical professionals.
• Alcohol Addiction: Signs, Complications, and Recovery: Find out what to look for in order to recognize alcohol addiction and what side effects can come with it.
• Alcohol Abuse Statistics: Check out this extensive collection of statistics about alcohol-related diagnoses, illnesses, and death.

Side Effects of Alcohol Abuse

• Alcohol Dependence and Withdrawal: Drinkaware has put together this informative write-up on how your body can become reliant on alcohol and the withdrawal symptoms that can occur when you stop drinking.
• Alcohol Use and Your Health: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention take an in-depth look at the many ways alcohol can be harmful to your body and mind in this article.
• Effects of Alcohol on the Body and the Brain: Read about the damage alcohol can cause to the different parts of the human body.
• Effects of Alcohol Addiction and Abuse: Explore how alcohol abuse can impact the heart, liver, kidneys, pancreas, immune system, and more.
• The Effects of Alcohol on Your Body: Side Effects, Dangers, and Health Risks: American Addiction Centers takes a look at both the short- and long-term effects of alcohol abuse.
• What Are Some Long-Term Effects of Alcohol Use? Find out how alcohol abuse can impact your life in the long run with this article from Vertava Health.

What Is Drug Abuse?

Drug abuse, like alcohol abuse, is when someone’s use of a drug has a negative effect on their life. This can stem from experimentation with substances such as cigarettes, marijuana, hallucinogenics, painkillers, and other drugs.

• Drug Misuse and Addiction: The National Institute on Drug Abuse explains what drug abuse is and why people turn to drugs in the first place.
• Substance Abuse/Chemical Dependency: John Hopkins Medicine outlines exactly what constitutes substance abuse and how it can lead to chemical dependency.
• Drug Abuse and Addiction: Take a look at the warning signs and symptoms of drug abuse.
• What Is a Substance Abuse Disorder? Examine what causes a substance abuse disorder and how it’s treated.

Side Effects of Drug Abuse

• Drug Addiction Symptoms and Causes: This page includes an in-depth look at the side effects different substances can cause.
• How Do Drugs and Alcohol Affect Mental Health? Look into the ways substance abuse can harm your mental health.
• Short-Term Effects of Dissociative Drug Use: Find out about the side effects of using hallucinogenic drugs.

Drug and Alcohol Prevention

• Signs and Symptoms of Drug and Alcohol Abuse in Teens: Find out what to look for in someone who may be abusing drugs or alcohol.
• Tips for Preventing Substance Abuse: Prairie View A&M University has compiled a helpful list of tips to help prevent substance abuse from occurring.
• Preventing Adolescent Substance Abuse: This page takes a look at ways that substance abuse can be prevented.
• Learn About Prevention: The Prevention Action Alliance has put together a useful guide on different prevention strategies.
• Substance Abuse Prevention and Intervention: This Texas Education Agency page contains a list of substance abuse prevention programs throughout the nation.
• Prevention Strategies: Preventing substance abuse can protect the health and safety of yourself and the people you care about.
• Why Is Drug and Alcohol Prevention Important? This article examines why substance abuse prevention strategies are so crucial.
• How to Address Underage Drinking: The Partnership to End Addiction outlines why teens turn to alcohol and how it can be prevented.
• Prevention Tips for Youth: Try these tips to help you say no to drugs and alcohol.