How Alcoholism Starts

Alcoholism can seriously affect every aspect of your life, from your job to your family. The circumstances of every person’s alcohol dependency are different, but many of the same patterns can be seen in different cases. Many people begin to become dependent on alcohol when they drink frequently to deal with stress or to relax. As their body’s alcohol tolerance increases, they need to drink more to feel the effects of the alcohol. Eventually, they find themselves needing to have a drink—and then more than one drink—on a regular basis. If a person begins to experience withdrawal symptoms such as headache, depression, or fatigue after not having a drink, it’s a strong sign of alcohol dependence.

One of the hardest things about confronting your alcoholism is admitting that you have a problem in the first place. If you are interested in learning how to stop drinking in Fort Lauderdale, contact an alcoholism counseling center as soon as possible.

The Effects of Teen Drinking

When your child becomes involved in underage drinking near Fort Lauderdale, the results can be devastating. Alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse can significantly impair your teen’s physical, mental, and emotional health, and can impact every other aspect of his personal and academic life. Here is a look at some of the most common and dangerous effects of underage drinking.

Delayed Brain Development

Scientists have determined that the brain does not become fully developed until around the age of 24. The areas of the brain that continue developing in adolescents are areas responsible for stress response, managing drives, critical thinking, and understanding the consequences of actions. Underage drinking can significantly stunt, delay, or prevent brain development in these areas. Alcohol can also damage the frontal regions of the brain, causing lifelong neurological problems. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms may also cause seizures, which can further damage the brain.

Increased Risk of Emotional and Mental Health Problems

Underage drinking also greatly increases a teen’s risk of suffering from emotional and mental health problems. Teen alcohol abuse can contribute to depression, anxiety, personality changes, and other serious emotional and psychological symptoms. Chronic or heavy alcohol abuse may put a teen at a higher risk of suicidal thoughts, ideation, and suicide attempts. The neurological problems associated with alcohol abuse and alcohol withdrawal can also increase a teen’s risk of developing mental health problems later in life.

Social and Academic Difficulties

Chronic alcohol abuse can decrease school performance, and even cause teens to stop going to school entirely. Studies have shown that teens who participate in underage drinking miss classes, fall behind in school work, perform badly on papers and exams, and receive lower grades overall. Alcohol abuse and underage drinking also put extreme stress on a teen’s social and familial relationships. The other problems that result from underage drinking have a significant effect on relationships with family and friends. Teens also tend to lie more, break house rules, get into fights more often, and hang out with other teens with substance abuse problems, further degrading their social and familial relationships.

How Alcohol Affects the Brain

Because the brain does not finish developing until you reach the age of 24, drug abuse and alcohol abuse in Fort Lauderdale can have a profound effect on your brain. Underage drinking can significantly delay the development of crucial areas of the brain. Chronic alcohol abuse can cause serious, permanent brain damage.

Watch this video to learn more about how alcohol abuse can affect the brain. If you or someone you know is suffering from alcohol addiction or drug addiction, you should talk to a trusted adult about the possibility of participating in teen alcohol counseling or substance abuse treatment.

Meet CEO Cici Kelly

Every member of the Bougainvilla House is dedicated to providing teens and their families with the professional care and resources needed to overcome drug and alcohol abuse. Teens are a particularly high-risk group for alcohol abuse and addiction, so it is important that they have dedicated facilities to get the rehabilitation necessary for a long and healthy life.

In addition to a skilled clinical staff, the Bougainvilla House relies on its management team, which is led by CEO, Cici Kelly. Ms. Kelly has a diverse business background, having worked for a number of Fortune 500 companies before joining the team in Fort Lauderdale. Before taking on the role of CEO, Ms. Kelly served on the Board of Bougainvilla House, a position that offered her unique perspective on the business side of teen drug and alcohol counseling services. The management team also includes a Clinical Director and Director of Finance and Administration to ensure that the business is up and running to provide teens with the help they need.

Alcohol and the Teenage Brain

One of the reasons that alcohol abuse is such a significant concern for teens is that the teenage brain is still developing. In fact, during teenage years, connections in the brain are reinforced through the processes of pruning and myelination.

As this video explains, alcohol use can inhibit these processes, which might permanently affect behavior, mood, hormonal balance, balance, and movement. Therefore, it is important to seek a rehab program in Fort Lauderdale if your teen is using alcohol. Watch the whole video clip to learn all the ways that alcohol affects teens differently and see the importance of getting help.

Signs of Teen Alcohol Use

If you’re concerned that your child is participating in underage drinking near Fort Lauderdale, you should take the time to learn how to recognize the signs of alcoholism and addiction in teens. A teen alcohol counseling center can provide your child with intervention services, teen therapy, and family counseling that will help you navigate the complicated world of teen substance abuse. Here is a look at the most common signs of teen alcohol abuse.

Behavioral and Emotional Changes

One of the first signs that you will notice in your child if he or she has a problem with alcoholism or addiction is behavioral and emotional changes. Your child may begin acting defensive, secretive, and may start lying frequently and rebelling against rules. He might exhibit bad behavior in school, poor grades, and infrequent attendance. He may become disinterested in his usual habits and hobbies. He might also start hanging out with new friends and/or isolate himself from old friends.

Physical Changes

There are many physical changes that are associated with underage drinking and teen alcoholism. Your child will exhibit slurred speech and a lack of coordination when under the influence of alcohol. If your child is hungover, he may sleep for unusually long periods of time, complain of headaches and nausea, and have low energy and bloodshot eyes. He may also look visibly exhausted and noticeably ill or impaired.

Changes in Cognitive Ability

After a period of regular alcohol abuse, your child may begin exhibiting changes in his cognitive ability. He might have difficulty concentrating or following conversations, television shows or movies, or school assignments. He may also begin to develop memory lapses or exhibit impulsive behavior or poor judgment. In severe and prolonged cases of addiction and alcohol abuse, your child may suffer from permanent damage to certain regions of his brain. For this reason, it’s very important to seek early intervention from a teen substance abuse treatment center so that your child can learn how to stop drinking.

Myths About Teen Drinking

It can be difficult to determine whether or not your teen has a problem with alcohol addiction in Fort Lauderdale. You may have been subject to some of the many common myths that surround underage drinking and teen substance abuse. It is important to dispel the myths regarding teen alcoholism so that parents are able to seek early intervention from a teen recovery center.

Watch this video to learn about some of the most popular myths about teen underage drinking. The video, from Mothers Against Drunk Driving, demonstrates some of the ways that teens view underage drinking and alcohol abuse.

Factors That Increase the Risk of Teen Drug Use

The more risk factors that an adolescent is presented with, the more likely they are to engage in substance abuse in Fort Lauderdale. Risk factors can vary in severity at different stages of development and are strongly influenced by protective factors. An essential goal of prevention is to outweigh risk factors, such as peer pressure and bullying, with protective factors like a strong parent-child bond.

Early Risk Factors

There are some risk factors for drug misuse that can be identified as early as infancy or childhood. Common examples include a lack of self-control, difficult temperament, and aggressive behavior. As the child develops, his interactions with family members, friends, teachers, and other students can affect his risk for drug abuse or alcoholism later on. There are situations at home that can also heighten a child’s risk for later substance abuse, including a caregiver who abuses drugs, poor parenting, and a lack of nurturing.

High-Risk Periods

When an adolescent is facing major changes in their life, they deal with greater risks for developing abuse problems. When a child transitions from elementary school to middle school, they encounter new types of experiences and social interactions. It’s at this age that adolescents are likely to face alcohol or drugs for the first time. High school brings additional pressure and challenges from social, educational, and emotional factors. Combined with greater exposure to drugs through peers and social activities, the risk of teen substance abuse increases dramatically. Once youths leave their home environment for work or to attend college, the risk factors for abuse surface again and can be dangerously high.

Protective Factors

Risk factors present themselves at every stage of a child’s development, making prevention a major factor in strengthening your adolescent’s resistance to drug abuse and alcoholism. Recognizing when a child is doing poorly in school, either socially or academically, and intervening with programs that can increase protective factors can reduce their risk for drug abuse. Protective factors that can balance these risks include a strong bond between the parent and child, clear discipline, and parental involvement in the child’s life.

Highlighting the Benefits of Intervention Services

Services for intervention in Fort Lauderdale can help your loved one recover from alcoholism and addiction. Intervention can be a powerful experience for all who are involved, improving understanding between parents and children and opening a path to recovery.

When a family member is suffering with abuse or addiction, intervention services are designed to reduce risk factors for continued use and to motivate the individual to modify their dangerous behaviors. Adolescent intervention services monitor the patient’s condition and progress, and provide ongoing assessment of the adolescent’s need for referrals and other services.

At The Bougainvilla House, our treatment model includes helping the affected adolescent or family member realize that they have a substance abuse problem or addiction, and to enlighten them to healthier behaviors and lifestyles. We prepare the youth or family member with the necessary skills to lead a life free of drug and alcohol misuse, and connect them to the recovery services that they need to be well again.