Why do young people drink alcohol?

The consumption of alcohol by young people is not something new, but it is an issue over which more and more attempts are being made to have more control.

Let's try to delve into the roots of this problem to find out the possible causes that lead adolescents and even younger children to consume this substance so harmful to their physical and mental development.

• Related article: "The 3 Stages of Adolescence"

Why young people drink alcohol: social problem

Ours is a society based on the welfare state, and that implies, among other things, ensuring that all citizens enjoy the best possible health, especially in the case of minors, who are even more protected. That is why it is not surprising that one of the questions that most concern health authorities is why young people drink alcohol, and enormous efforts are made to try to understand this problem and to address it. solutions.

It is in adolescence between 11 and 17, when the child goes through that period of transformation that will lead him to become an adult

when this problem usually arises. However, it is evident that not all adolescents behave in the same way, and while some decide to take more risks, experiment and thinking less about the consequences, others choose to be more cautious and not break the rules, thus avoiding the consumption of alcohol.

So, Why do young people drink alcohol? Well, one of the possible causes, often repeated, is simply because they feel integrated into their peer group. Therefore, if in your group you have decided to try beer or drinks as a form of entertainment, there is a high probability that the adolescent Do it too, because he seeks approval, feeling part of a group and also feels supported by the rest, as it is a shared activity.

Of course, many other factors come into play, some as primary as the person's own personality, which will make them more or less prone to impulsiveness, risk-taking, etc. Also to the combination between the different protective factors and risk factors that surround the child, and here his own family enters fully. But this point deserves a separate section.

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Alcohol use in the family

But It is not only about the behaviors observed in the circle of friends. In order to answer why young people drink alcohol, the vision that the adolescent has of alcohol regarding the behaviors that he has observed in her own family during his childhood. If, as a child, you have been used to seeing how your own parents, uncles, grandparents, etc., drank alcohol at meals, at events relatives, and has even come to see them in a drunken state, will give him a character of normality and it will be easier for him to decide try it.

Logically, it is not just about mere observation, the teachings you have received at home in this regard are also important, since the parents have been able to consume alcohol sporadically in their presence, either at family events or with friends, but at the same time make them see the child that it is a product that only adults should take, always in moderation, and make clear the possible consequences of its consumption.

This may not always be as effective as we would like, since no matter how hard parents try to discourage their children from drinking, the impact of observing the behavior of adults is much more powerful for them, so if they are told not to try these substances but it is common to see themselves (their parents) with a alcoholic drink in hand, it will be difficult for them to understand the message that their adults are trying to convey verbally reference.

Of course, it is not the same for the minor to see his relatives having a beer or wine sporadically, in the context of a family meal or an event, for him to see them in a usual state of drunkenness In this case we would be talking about a problem of alcoholism whose consequences can extend to the children with much greater probability, and not only because of a replica of the behavior, but because of parental negligence and even a possible case of fetal alcohol syndrome, if it occurred during pregnancy. But those would already be other problems.

Evolution of alcohol consumption today

Although the problem of why young people drink alcohol is surrounded by a certain sensationalism that makes us believe that the trend is negative and therefore the situation today is much more serious than a few years ago, the truth is that it is not So. As with many other issues, the fact that the problem is now much more visible than before does not want say that it has worsened, but that more attention is paid to it and therefore more measures are also taken to tackle it.

A recent study has shown that alcohol consumption among young people has decreased in developed countries throughout these first two decades of the 21st century. According to their conclusions, the main variable that has allowed this change in trend in recent years has been the amount of free time that adolescents spend with their peer group.

In this sense, a progressive change is observed, since Two decades ago, the usual thing for many young people was to spend every afternoon in a street context with their friends., and subsequently a whole series of extracurricular activities have been established that have changed the occupation of their leisure time. But it is not the only observed variable that has had an influence, since the number of activities carried out in the family, between parents and children, has also increased.

Even so, the conclusions of the study must be taken with caution, since other factors could be coming into play that are beyond the measurements of the researchers, such as be, for example, the perception that one has regarding the acceptance of the group regarding the fact of getting drunk (may be much higher in the past but not so much in the present).

Prevent alcohol consumption

Once the question of why young people drink alcohol has been analyzed, it is time to do something about it, and it is true that in recent times, more than ever, work is being done to achieve a change in trend that, we have already seen, is possible and is happening.

The most basic measures, of course, involve making it as difficult as possible for minors to access alcohol, and for this there is strong legislation that prohibits the sale of any alcoholic beverage to anyone under the age of majority, which establishments take very seriously, otherwise they face very high penalties severe.

Also work has been done on laws relating to the advertising of high-grade alcoholic beverages (those that have more than 20º), as also occurs in the case of tobacco, television advertisements for both types of products being currently prohibited in Spain. As for low-alcohol drinks, advertising is also restricted, and spots cannot be broadcast between 6:00 a.m. and 8:30 p.m., and in In no case can these ads allude to abusive consumption or reflect social success, better health or performance due to drinking alcohol.

On the other hand, information campaigns are carried out that range from the use of billboards and television advertisements, alerting young people to the risks of alcohol consumption. It is essential to try to communicate these messages under youth communication standards, so that we increase the probability of a positive reception of it.

Likewise workshops and talks are also held in the educational centers themselves, through expert associations in this problem, to be able to provide information that is easy to understand and resolve all the doubts that may arise in the moment, since it is the best way to establish a dialogue and take advantage of the moment in which adolescents are receptive to the message that is being delivered to them. transmitting.

Last, but probably the most important point, would be that of promote a strong and healthy bond between the minor and his parents, making his family a benchmark and a protective factor against unhealthy behaviors such as alcohol consumption. It is preferable for adults to convey to children the message that drinking alcohol is harmful based on clear information, not taboos.

It is evident that why young people drink alcohol is an issue that affects all levels of society and therefore we must all work together to eradicate this conduct.

Bibliographic references:

• Pérez, C.L., Vinaccia, S. (2005). Prevention of alcohol abuse among university students: guidelines for the design of cost-effective programs. Mexico. Psychology and health.
• Rossow, I., Pape, H., Torgersen, L. (2020). Decline in adolescent drinking: Some possible explanations. APSAD. Drug and Alcohol review.