quoted Dr.Thomas Fuller in his book-Gnomologia.
Well, it looks like the ‘God of intoxication and wine‘ hasn’t yet done. As per the latest report, the cases of drunken teenagers are on a steady rise, which is a blunt remark on the progression this world is leading towards. Here are some figures, unraveling the stark reality about teenagers-
In between 2002 and 2006, approximately eighteen children were admitted in hospitals each day in intoxicated conditions.
The figures reveal that cases of hospitalization of teens post-drinking have risen by more then a third in these four years.
The number of girls admitted to hospitals under the influence of alcohol increased from 2,916 in 2002/3 to 4,209 in 2005/6.
Guys don’t lag behind also as their cases saw a rise of 30% in the same period.
Also, it is important to mention here that the figures don’t include the thousands of cases where injuries or accidents have been caused due to the negligence of the patient under the influence of liquor. However, the figures do include cases where teens were admitted for various problems like stomach disorders as a result of over-consumption of alcohol.
Distinction between various drinking habits
Drinking has become an important part of not only our society but also our culture and has also attained a place as a status symbol. There are six reasons basically explaining why we drink- to quench thirst, to get drunk which is also known as binge drinking, social drinking that is as a part of your society, to check out the taste, alcoholism which means addiction straight also called problem drinking, or as part of a religious/ traditional ceremony. However, on a micro-level, we have to deal with two main kinds of drinking habits; social drinking and problem drinking.
Social drinking here refers to a casual drinking that is without any intention of getting high. It is actually a way to be a part of people or gathering around you, be it a celebration or just a simple get-together. Thus, it can be equated as to having tea at a tea party. The bad news is that people have found so many reasons to socialize that liquor has started being taken as easily as other beverages. Problem drinking, whereas, is an addiction to liquor for which in most of the cases the patient has to be treated medically and also sometimes have to be moved to rehabilitation centers. Thus, it is important to scribble in our minds, the fact that the two kinds of drinking habits are totally different and mustn’t be confused.
Where lays the problem?
If we rely on the experts, the parents of the children are the ones to be blamed. However, it must be noted that it’s not simply the fault of neglecting on the part of the family but the cause in most of the cases is deep rooted. Stress, tensions, mental anxieties are the various causes that can be attributed to for the fact that teens have been drawing upon alcohol as a soul mate. We are living such an automated life that loneliness has settled in the sub-conscious mind. Teens are incorporating drinking in their lives so as to release themselves from the conscious effort they always endure to get through the difficulties of life, while others see it as sheer escapism.
A campaigns officer at Alcohol Concern, Fran Soodeen said,
The Government has underestimated the level of alcohol-related harm among adolescents. Their inability to judge tolerance levels, drinking secretly outdoors and unnecessary risk taking help explain the startling number of admissions.
True, that government has been trying to do a lot for teens but isn’t it more important to do something about the plunging prices of alcohol that give teenagers an easier access?
We should keep in mind that it is always right to check ourselves and others around us, to make sure that we aren’t transcending from the social drinking to the level of problem drinking. Also, government should develop strategies that instead of encouraging teens to try out alcohol make them look away from it. We just don’t need the demarcation of drinking from our lives and society alone but also from the culture starting right from the roots.
Source: Telegraph
Image Credit: Patentpending
