Binge Drinking

1. Binge Drinking By:jenniferengland

2. What is binge drinking? Excessive alcohol consumption, also called binge drinking, is a pattern of drinking alcohol that brings the blood alcohol level concentration (BAC) to 0.08 or above. For the typical adult, this pattern corresponds to 5 or more drinks (male), or 4 or more drinks (female), in about 2 hours. (NIAAA definition).

3. the problem Some teens are much more likely to drink alcohol than others. The prevalence of underage binge drinking within the state of California is similar to national trends: although many underage youth drink, the percentage that binge drink is small (i.e. approximately 25% of 11th graders binge monthly). However, given recent research on the effects of binge drinking on adolescent brain development, any binge drinking done by youth puts them at risk both for the present and the future.

4. Specific risk factors/attributes may make certain individuals more at risk for alcohol use and abuse than others. The factors that put teens at risk for alcohol use and abuse include the following: Childhood behavior. -Teens that were aggressive and antisocial, or impulsive, restless, and easily distracted as young children are more likely to have alcohol-related problems in their teenage years. Mental or emotional problems. -Teenagers that suffer from anxiety and depression disorders are much more likely to abuse or be dependent on alcohol. Problems with alcohol can sometimes lead to depression and anxiety, but, more frequently, teens with depression and anxiety disorders seek out alcohol and other drugs to avoid dealing with the pain caused by these illnesses. Teens with conduct disorders or certain types of attention-deficit disorders are also more likely to have problems with alcohol. A family history of alcoholism. -Children of alcoholics are much more likely than other teens to start drinking during their teenage years.

5. Positive parental attitudes toward drinking. -Teens with parents who drink or express favorable attitudes toward drinking are more likely to start drinking sooner and to continue drinking. Teens that are warned about alcohol by their parents are less likely to start drinking. Home environment.- Teens that come from homes where parents provide little emotional support for their children, fail to monitor their activities, or have little involvement in their lives, are more likely to drink, and to drink heavily. Harsh, inconsistent discipline and hostility or rejection toward children have also been found to lead to adolescent drinking and alcohol-related problems. Positive peer attitudes toward drinking-. When a teen's friends drink, accept, or encourage drinking, the teen is more likely to drink. Peer pressure begins early. One-third of 4th graders and more than half of 6th graders say they have been pressured by friends to drink alcohol. Trauma. Adolescents in treatment for alcohol abuse or dependence report higher rates of physical abuse, sexual abuse, violent victimization, witnessing violence, and similar traumas than other teens.

6. Further examination of how stress, anxiety, and depression interact during adolescence may also influence the initiation of alcohol use. Adolescence is often characterized as an emotionally stormy period. Though most children navigate this transitional period without serious problems, about one-third to one-half of adolescents report significant mood or affective disturbances that could be described as “inner turmoil” or “feeling miserable”. This anxiety and stress play an important part in adolescents’ initiation of alcohol and other drug use. In one research study, perceived stress was found to be the most powerful predictor of adolescent alcohol and drug use, after peer substance use.

7. Consequences High levels of drinking among adolescents can lead to a variety of consequences, both short-term and long-term. Some of the residual effects of underage binge drinking include the following: > Impaired brain development > Slowed motor skills > Difficulty learning new ideas/concepts > Hindered decision-making abilities > Weakened athletic performance > Health-related issues > Alcoholism as adults > Legal repercussions

8. Change Social Social norms are standards of behavior that prevail in our culture. They are shaped either consciously or unconsciously by our parents’ attitudes and beliefs, peer influences, school rules, law enforcement policies, religious affiliations, cultural traditions, the mass media, advertising, and marketing practices. These behavioral standards affect all of us, but they have a particularly strong effect on young people who are gaining independence, testing boundaries, and striving to fit in.

9. Social norms prevention strategies are an environmental approach that has both a common sense and a scientific appeal. The underlying ideas that support social norms prevention strategies are straightforward.

10. Individual behavior is influenced by perceptions of what other people accept and expect, and how they behave. Individual perceptions of what others accept, expect, and do, with regards to substance use and other potentially harmful behaviors, are often inaccurate. We often assume that others are more accepting of negative behaviors than they actually are, and that they engage in more negative behaviors than they actually do. Correcting individuals’ misperceptions of other’s behaviors and attitudes will strengthen individuals’ feelings that their own desire to resist negative behaviors is in fact normal and is shared by the majority of other people. This new perception will increase feelings of social support for positive behaviors, and increase the prevalence of those positive behaviors.

11. The central tenet of social norms theory is that correcting misperceptions is likely to result in decreased problem behavior and increased prevalence of healthy behaviors. Extensive research has shown that peer influences are based more on what we think our peers believe and do (i.e., the perceived norm) than on their real beliefs and actions (i.e., the actual norm). By presenting information that is correct and accurate about peer group norms in a believ­able fashion, the mythology of the perceived norm is abandoned and the healthier actual norm is adopted. Ultimately, this leads to more healthy attitudes and behaviors.

12. Reduce Availability It is against the law in all 50 States and the District of Columbia for people under 21 years old to buy or publicly possess alcohol. Despite the fact that it is illegal, underage drinking is prevalent and starts early. The average age when youth first try alcohol is 11 years old for boys and 13 years old for girls. Some children start drinking at even younger ages. By the time they are high school seniors, more than 80 percent of all teens have used alcohol at some point and approximately 64 percent have been drunk.

13. Underage drinkers obtain alcohol illegally in several ways. Many young people are given alcohol by a family member or take alcohol from the family liquor cabinet or home refrigerator. They may receive it from friends at parties, which usually take place at private homes with or without parental supervision, or in outdoor venues such as public parks, parking lots, or other open spaces. Other young people use fake IDs, or even walk into a store and buy alcohol without ever being asked for identification; some ask friends or siblings to make the purchase for them.

14. California youth were asked how difficult it is to obtain alcohol and where most student users get alcohol. 15.8% of 7th graders, 35.8% of 9th graders, and 49.8% of 11th graders reported it was “very easy” to obtain alcohol. Youth perceive that students get alcohol most easily at parties/social events, from friends, or at home. National data shows even more alarming trends: 64% of 8th graders and 84% of 10th graders believe that alcohol is readily available to them for consumption.

15. The most documented principle in alcohol use prevention is this: Make it harder for young people to get alcohol, and they will drink less. Communities can make alcohol less available by promoting responsible adult behavior and holding adults accountable when they provide alcohol to minors; by raising the price of beer, wine, and liquor; or by reducing the number of places where alcohol is sold or served.

16. Improve the Effectiveness of Law Enforcement Effective law enforcement is necessary to enact and implement alcohol control policies which affect underage access to alcohol so as to reduce underage access, overall. Without such enforcement, communities may begin to view alcohol control policies as meaningless and violations of such policies as acceptable.

17. The role of police in enforcing laws aimed at reducing youth access to alcohol should not be limited to simply punishing violators. Instead, law enforcement agencies should also take the following steps to fortify their work to reduce youth access to alcohol: Include a variety of prevention-oriented strategies in their efforts to reduce commercial access to alcohol by young people; Invest time and effort in identifying and punishing adults over the age of 21 who illegally provide or sell alcohol to underage youth; and Take measures to train police officers in more effective strategies of enforcing youth access laws.

18. Change Policies The most documented principle in alcohol use prevention is: Make it harder for young people to get alcohol, and they will drink less. Policymakers at the local, state, or national level, can help enact and support policies that prevent the availability of alcohol to young people who are below the minimum drinking age.In 1984, Congress enacted the National Minimum Drinking Age Act. This law requires that a portion of Federal highway funds be withheld from any States that do not prohibit persons under 21 years of age from purchasing or publicly possessing alcoholic beverages. The U.S. Supreme Court held in 1987 that Congress was within constitutional bounds in attaching such conditions to the receipt of Federal funds to encourage uniformity in States' drinking ages. By 1988, every State had passed legislation to meet the Federal funding requirements.

19. In addition to minimum drinking age laws, States have adopted a variety of policies to address underage drinking. Some of these policies apply to youth directly, while others apply to those individuals or establishments that may furnish alcohol to underage youth. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) notes that these and other underage drinking strategies demonstrate a broad societal commitment to reduce underage drinking. The IOM further notes that "the effectiveness of laws to restrict access to alcohol by youths can be increased by closing gaps in coverage, promoting compliance, and strengthening enforcement."

20. What you can do:Community Alcohol is a regular feature of leisure activities in most communities: alcohol ads and billboards with attractive and youthful models promoting alcoholic products are displayed publicly; alcohol companies are allowed to sponsor local fairs, races, sports activities, and other family-focused events; and underage drinking and sales of alcohol to minors is often ignored. In all these ways, youth are socialized by their community to believe that alcohol use is accepted, expected, and even essential to having a good time. To combat these forces, many communities are instead using a variety of strategies to control the visibility and availability of alcohol in their children’s environment