Try science when 'just saying no' isn't enough - Addictions Policy

 
 

How can we help?

Phone 0845 555 444 for immediate FREE addictions advice for yourself or a friend

Self assessment for drug dependency

Free addictions advice by email

Seeking help for an addiction?

PCUG Addiction Treatment .co.uk is the leading online provider of free medical information about drug and alcohol addiction issues. You can receive independent, expert advice on addictions rehab and treatment by telephoning PCUG Addiction Treatment on 0845 555 444

 

 

Try science when 'just saying no' isn't enough

Teens are fascinated by their brains, the way they work, change, and even "freeze" sometimes. The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) recommends that parents, teachers and caregivers use that fascination to engage middle and high school students this holiday season in a discussion of why they shouldn't drink alcohol.

"Parents need every tool they can find to convince their teens not to drink alcohol, particularly during the holiday season," says Shirley Malcom, head of the Education & Human Resources Directorate at AAAS. "Science is such a tool, and it is providing new insights on alcohol's effects on the maturing brain."

Scientists used to believe that human brains finished developing before adolescence. But according to The Science Inside Alcohol Project, an alcohol education effort of the AAAS that is funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), new and ongoing brain research shows that important brain regions and their interconnections are still developing well into a person's twenties.

The brain is made up of more than 100 billion neurons, each making tens of thousands of connections. Alcohol can damage or even kill neurons, perhaps altering development of those parts of the adolescent brain that are still forming. Research suggests that alcohol can cause teens to:

  • Make bad decisions. The prefrontal cortex, which is involved in planning and decision-making, does not completely mature until after the teen years. Using alcohol can harm a teen's ability to reason and weigh options instead of just doing something because it is fun or feels good.

  • Develop a tolerance for alcohol and drink more over time. When adolescents drink on multiple occasions, their brains develop tolerance to alcohol, requiring more alcohol to obtain the same effects as previously. This encourages higher levels of use, potentially leading to alcohol abuse and even dependence. The highest rates of abuse and dependence on alcohol have been reported among youth in their late teens and early twenties, followed by 12-17 year olds.

  • Take risks they usually would not take. Connections between regions of the prefrontal cortex and the ventral striatum, an important part of the brain's reward system, are important in regulating impulsive behaviour and are still maturing during adolescence. Alcohol can affect those connections, making teens more likely to do impulsive things they later may regret - like drinking and driving or having sex.

  • Harm their memories. The hippocampus, or the area in the brain that stores memory, is still maturing during adolescence. Research shows that ingesting even small amounts of alcohol can make teens less likely to recall something they learned earlier or remember what they did while drinking.

  • Cause problems with medications. Medication for attention deficit disorder, bipolar disorder or other problems with the brain may react badly with alcohol. For instance, if a teen takes Ritalin and drinks alcohol it may increase the effects of Ritalin, affecting the ability to perform tasks that require complete concentration. For those taking lithium for bipolar disorder, drinking alcohol, particularly in large quantities, can impair judgment, thinking and motor skills.

Article originally published on 30/12/2020 by DryOutNow.com, the alcohol specific website for PCUG Addiction Treatment

 

 

Seeking help for an addiction?

PCUG Addiction Treatment .co.uk is the leading online provider of free medical information about drug and alcohol addiction issues.

We provide addiction treatment and counselling services for people with drug or alcohol problems, their friends and their relatives. All initial advice is free of charge and given by qualified professionals in addictions treatment.

You can receive independent, expert advice on addictions rehab and treatment by telephoning PCUG Addiction Treatment on 0845 555 444

 

 

 

Other Addictions Stories

 

 

About PCUG Addiction Treatment

Our team of experts is professionally regulated by the General Medical Council, Royal College of Nurses an the British Association of Counsellors.  Please beware of accessing treatment through unregulated internet ‘referral agents’, who are unable to provide professional advice and work to a profit motive based on ‘commission’ received from rehab centres.


For free, professional advice and treatment planning from experts,
call AddictionAdvisor on 0845 555 444 now.

 


map of UK regions Wales Yorkshire & Humberside South West South East London East Anglia West Midlands East Midlands North West North East Scotland
Find the lowest treatment costs available in the UK today. Dial 0845 370 0102.


Find the lowest addictions treatment costs available in the UK today. Dial 0845 555 444.


Arrange immediate access to residential treatment for drug addiction in any area of the UK. Dial 0845 555 444.


Choose from over 30 UK residential treatment centres to cater for all your individual requirements. Dial 0845 555 444.


0845 370 0102
Addictions Stories in the News
0845 370 0102