Suffolk therapist speaks out on link between teenagers, alcohol and mental health issues
According to the University College London and the University of Bristol, Researchers say helping young people to avoid heavy drinking could have long-term benefits to their mental health.
Last updated 5th Jun 2023
A Therapist from Suffolk told us it's not surprising that teenagers with alcohol dependence are more likely to have depression by their mid-20s.
According to the University College London and the University of Bristol, Researchers say helping young people to avoid heavy drinking could have long-term benefits to their mental health.
Why some teenagers are turning to drink?
Fiona went on to tell us that its normal for teenagers to experiment with 'adult things such as alcohol and cigarettes but those that continue may be using it to "give them a boost" to stop them worrying about something and reduce anxiety.
"The thing is, you're supplementing one thing for another, and we need to look at what the root cause is.
"It's a bit like if I've got a rash on my arm, I need to find out what that rash is coming from.
"I can cover it with the jumper and that will be fine, but the rash will still be there and it's the same with mental health and alcohol or drug use.
"If you're just using it to cover up a real problem, you're not gonna get it better."
Advice to Parents
We asked Fiona what parents should do if they think they're child may be turning to alcohol.
"Act fast. There's loads of organizations out there like Alcoholics Anonymous... that help with children and alcohol and can give some real advice.
"Go to your GP, get some help from your GP. Speak to your child schools pastoral team.
"See what resources they've got to help you and speak to organisations like us who are very, very happy to help and advise parents to get the right sort of help as quickly as possible.
"The other thing is, don't judge your child. Don't make them feel bad about themselves.
"They're trying to cope with something and this (the drinking) is a symptom of them trying to cope with something.
"If you then demonize it and beat them up over it, you'll just push it undercover and make them less likely to seek help.
"So make sure you have very open and easy conversations the child can engage with and doesn't feel accused or attacked."
How to prevent drinking from becoming alcohol dependence
We asked Fiona if it's possible to prevent casual/social drinking from becoming an addiction or dependency.
"So it's about having a really good education about alcohol and the effects of alcohol and how to use it responsibly.
"It's slightly harder with alcohol because it's not an illegal drug. Because alcohol is in the supermarket and in our parent's homes, it seems a much more accessible thing.
"It's about educating children, from a very young age and encouraging responsible use of alcohol and not making it a taboo thing.
"It's something that's just there and you know, you really shouldn't do it to self your problems."