ADOLESCENT ALCOHOL ABUSE – THE STAGES

Addiction is common among the adolescents but it is also harmful for these children as well as their families. The ambitions and aspirations of the adolescents often remain unfulfilled- thanks to their addiction. It is seen that sometimes the stages of addiction progresses faster in adolescents than the adults. However, it can also take a few years to enter into the later stages of addiction.

Addiction- early stages:

1. Going out with the drinking and drugging people

    

2. Pleading for money, conning and manipulating for making their pleads met

    

3. Beginning of school problems, playing truant, requesting parents earnestly to make excuses for them

    

4. Decreasing of attention span

    

5. Decreasing of tolerance leading to frustration

    

Addiction- middle stages:

1. For the wrong doings, tendency to blame others.

    

2. Getting removed from near and dear ones

    

3. Stealing

    

4. Truancy and decline in academics

    

5. Swings in mood

    

Addiction- later stages:

1. Low self esteem

    

2. Suspension or thrown out of school

    

3. Blackouts

    

4. Loss or gain in weight

    

5. Increase in legal issues

    

6. Outbursts of anger

    

There is no better treatment than the family for an adolescent taking drugs. Counseling and family support give the apt treatment to the teenager.