From binge drinking to brain damage, here’s what alcohol is doing to today’s youth—and why it starts earlier than you think.
Alcohol consumption among minors is extremely common, making it the most frequently consumed drug among this population. However, it is not a universal habit. The problem lies in the increasing quantity and intensity of consumption. More and more young people are engaging in binge drinking—consuming large amounts of alcohol in short periods—leading to a rise in intoxication episodes among students. This behavior is now part of youth drinking culture.
Young people associate alcohol with feeling more fun, talkative, and sociable. In the short term, they are only aware of the pleasurable effects. However, most adolescents who consume alcohol have experienced serious physical side effects at least once.
Risk Factors for Alcohol Use
- Problems with family, peers, and teachers
- Violence, aggression, and public disorder
- Risky behaviors like drunk driving (the leading cause of death in this age group)
- Unsafe sex, unwanted pregnancies, and STIs
- Early development of alcohol-related diseases and addiction
- Memory and learning impairments, brain changes that differ by gender
Additional Findings:
- Excessive drinking during adolescence may lower sex hormone and growth hormone levels in both genders.
- It can cause liver damage (elevated liver enzymes), reduce bone density (especially in boys), and hinder endocrine development.
- Adolescent brains may be more sensitive to alcohol damage than adult brains. Early alcohol exposure increases the risk of future addiction.
Common side effects include vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, arrhythmias, stumbling, and falls. In severe cases, it can lead to alcohol poisoning, coma, and even cardiac arrest from hypothermia.
Acute alcohol intoxication—commonly known as drunkenness—is a syndrome caused by rapid, excessive intake of alcohol. Depending on the amount consumed and a person’s tolerance, symptoms can range from mild disinhibition to coma, respiratory depression, or death.
Alcohol is a drug that creates physical and psychological dependence. Acutely, it produces euphoria, sedation, and sleepiness, while reducing anxiety or emotional distress. These effects contribute to addiction.
The next day, youth may experience hangover symptoms like headaches, poor appetite, insomnia, and difficulty functioning.
Heavy Alcohol Use Leads to:
- Increased conflict in personal environments
- More physical fights and arrests
- Greater likelihood of engaging in risky behaviors (e.g. unprotected sex, accidents)
Other Risk Factors: Polydrug Use and Gender
There is a strong association between alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use. Consuming one increases the likelihood of consuming the others.
Gender plays a growing role. Historically, girls drank less than boys in most European countries. But this gap is closing—and even reversing. That’s concerning, as today’s young women are tomorrow’s mothers.
Alcohol and Pregnancy
There is no known safe level of alcohol during pregnancy. Even small amounts may lead to:
- Hyperactivity
- Behavioral issues
- Lower IQ
- Developmental delays
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is the most common birth defect in industrialized countries and a major cause of intellectual disability. In Spain, the estimated incidence is 1–3 per 1,000 live births.
Even without visible birth defects, children exposed to alcohol in the womb may show signs of ADHD, motor skill issues, and language disorders. These effects are known as Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE).
Heavy or even sporadic “binge” drinking during pregnancy is linked to severe congenital disabilities. Even moderate intake over time may reduce the child’s IQ and cause coordination, learning, and behavioral issues.
