According to Amir Levine in the World Science Festival (2014) video, the teenager’s brain is essentially primed to soak up or draw in new experiences both the good and the bad. It is this factor that increases the risk of teenagers to indulge in risky behaviors such as alcohol and drug use. Nonetheless, the teenage brain is not entirely to blame in the indulgence in such behavior ˗˗despite the fact that drug and alcohol use and abuse starts at adolescence. As such, since drug and alcohol addiction manifests itself during adulthood, psychiatrists and most psychologists tend to think it is an adult problem, which according to Levine is far from the truth. He ascertains this through empirical evidence; when an individual uses an illicit drug such as alcohol before the age of eighteen, he or she stands a 25% chance of adult addiction but if one starts indulging in drugs after the age of 21, he or she only has a 4% chance of adult addiction, (World Science Festival, 2014).
Aspects of Alcoholism
Individuals with alcohol dependency will continue with the behavior despite its harmful consequences such as losing a job or destroying interpersonal relationships with people they love. The behavior in youths is mostly caused by peer pressure and adolescents with low self-esteem or those with immense stress. The behavior in teenagers further increases the risk of dropping out of school and teenage pregnancies as well as sexually transmitted infections. Alcoholism essentially results from excessive drinking that causes chemical changes in the brain thereby increasing the pleasurable feeling of drinking. Despite it being a gradually progressive mental disorder, it has been known to be hereditary. As Levine explained, the DNA of a teenage child of an alcohol or drug addict is much looser than an adult’s thereby making it easy for gene expression.
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Mental/Emotional, Personal Health and Wellness Factors Relating to Alcoholism
Depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorders are among the mental and emotional factors that increase the risk of alcohol use in youths and addiction in adulthood. The co-occurrence of any of the disorders with alcoholism is referred to as dual diagnosis. Statistically, 37% of alcohol users and 53% of drug abusers have been reported to have at least one serious mental illness, (Saisan et al., 2018). However, physically active youths are less likely to develop alcoholism and the related mental disorders in adulthood as opposed to inactive youths.
Intervention Strategies
One essential intervention strategy for social workers is creating support groups such as Alcohol Anonymous for youths that help youths in not only maintaining sobriety but also discussing their challenges and seek support from others. A second quintessential intervention strategy is offering counseling services, primarily to teenagers with dual diagnosis. Through this strategy, the addicts receive emotional counseling regarding emotional issues that drive them towards drinking. Here, the counselor should as well provide the addict with the 12-step program such as that offered by the Dual Recovery Anonymous that not only aids in mental recovery but also sobriety.
References
Saisan, J., Smith, M., Robinson, L., & Segal, J. (2018). Substance abuse and mental health issues: Dealing with drug or alcohol addiction and co-occurring mental health problems. Helpguide . Retrieved from https://www.helpguide.org/articles/addictions/substance-abuse-and-mental-health.htm?pdf=12398
World Science Festival. (2014). The teenage brain is primed for addiction. YouTube . Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNAbf3J3lR0
