Talking about NOT drinking underage now can protect your teen’s developing brain
Talking about NOT drinking underage now can protect your teen’s developing brain
KEEP SHOWING UP.
They’re still growing up.
There is more research about youth and alcohol than when you were a teen. We know that alcohol is the number one substance used by youth.
Here are other things we now know:
- We know that drinking as a teen means a higher risk for alcohol use disorder later in life.
- We know drinking alcohol underage can change the actual structure of your teen’s brain causing cognitive problems.
- We know underage alcohol use can cause your teen to make risky choices they would not have otherwise leaving a bad mark on their future plans.
Alcohol can cause damage to the brain, which is still developing into our mid-20s! Underage drinking can leave effects long after the alcohol leaves a child’s body.
When we know better, we can do better.
Funded in whole or in part by the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery through a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration.