What Influences Adolescents to Drink Underage
What Influences Adolescents to Drink Underage
By Melanie Gedney
Being an adolescent is one of the hardest things a person can face in life. If it isn’t staying up till 1 am studying for that huge test the next day, then its dealing with drama with friends, and of coarse the amount of peer pressure high school comes with. But when it comes to drinking underage, what influences teenager to drink? I believe teenagers are influenced to drink by their friends, the media, and having it easily accessed either by Fake ID’s or parents. Let’s face it, if not all, most kids want to fit-in and be with the “in” crowd in school. They in no way want to be the person who “chickened” out or the “baby” in the school. This leads to an absurd amount of peer-pressure a teenager will face in high school. When it comes to taking the first sip, peer pressure is certainly present. A teenager will give into peer pressure and take that first sip for several reasons; they are afraid of being rejected by others and want to be liked, they want to feel grown up, they do not want to be made fun of, they may not be sure what they really want, and they may not know how to get out of the situation. In the long run the person is pressured into having their first sip. Who is it that pressures the teenager to drink? Studies have shown that it is your best friend that gives you that first beer. It is the main predictor whether someone will drink underage. If their best friend drinks, then the chances of them drinking also underage skyrocket. It is also true that a teenager is much more influenced to drink from a best friend then his or own history with alcoholism in the family. The alcohol becomes more available when a teenager has a friend who drinks. When a teenager wants to drink, they do not want to sit there and beg their parents to break the law. They want to have their first drink with as little drama and convincing as possible. Therefore, even with parents who allow drinking, an
By Melanie Gedney
Being an adolescent is one of the hardest things a person can face in life. If it isn’t staying up till 1 am studying for that huge test the next day, then its dealing with drama with friends, and of coarse the amount of peer pressure high school comes with. But when it comes to drinking underage, what influences teenager to drink? I believe teenagers are influenced to drink by their friends, the media, and having it easily accessed either by Fake ID’s or parents. Let’s face it, if not all, most kids want to fit-in and be with the “in” crowd in school. They in no way want to be the person who “chickened” out or the “baby” in the school. This leads to an absurd amount of peer-pressure a teenager will face in high school. When it comes to taking the first sip, peer pressure is certainly present. A teenager will give into peer pressure and take that first sip for several reasons; they are afraid of being rejected by others and want to be liked, they want to feel grown up, they do not want to be made fun of, they may not be sure what they really want, and they may not know how to get out of the situation. In the long run the person is pressured into having their first sip. Who is it that pressures the teenager to drink? Studies have shown that it is your best friend that gives you that first beer. It is the main predictor whether someone will drink underage. If their best friend drinks, then the chances of them drinking also underage skyrocket. It is also true that a teenager is much more influenced to drink from a best friend then his or own history with alcoholism in the family. The alcohol becomes more available when a teenager has a friend who drinks. When a teenager wants to drink, they do not want to sit there and beg their parents to break the law. They want to have their first drink with as little drama and convincing as possible. Therefore, even with parents who allow drinking, an