THE TRUTH ABOUT ALCOHOL:
Fiction: Alcohol won't affect my grades or activities
Fact: Kids who drink usually have trouble keeping up their grades and often don't graduate from high school. Drinking
any kind of alcohol changes your brain (which is still growing) and affects your memory. The earlier you start and the more
you drink, the more likely you are to permanently screw up your brain, heart, liver and other organs.
Fiction: Some alcoholic drinks are "safer" or not as bad for me.
Fact: There is almost the exact same amount of alcohol in beer, wine, hard liquor, wine coolers, flavored malt beverages
and lemonades etc.
Fiction: Alcohol makes people feel better.
Fact: It makes it hard to control yourself and your emotions. It can make people moody, angry, depressed and especially
unsafe. Any time that your brain is messed up by drugs and alcohol you aren't able to make decisions and that can lead to
tragedy.
Fiction: It doesn't matter if I drink because I'm not going to drive.
Fact: Under 16 and caught drinking can mean your license is suspended for almost two months starting the first day you
ever get it. Imagine that..."I CAN FINALLY DRIVE. OH WAIT, NO I CAN'T!"
Fiction: Kids can't become alcoholics.
Fact: There are millions of teens addicted to alcohol right now and they will have to battle that for the rest of their
lives.
Fiction: If I don't drink, I'll lose my friends.
Fact: If they are really your friends, you shouldn't have worry about losing them. They should stand by your decision.
Consider turning it down together. Many teens have hurt friends while drinking. Staying away from alcohol is a good way to
keep your friends.
Fiction: Everybody does it. It's no big deal.
Fact: NOT everybody does it and it IS a big deal. What you see on TV is NOT REAL so don't go by that and if you see drinking
around you, that doesn't mean that everyone is doing it. There are lots of teens who choose not to drink because they know
that the "high" does not outweigh the costs (friends, family, freedom, health, driver's license, life).
If you know of a situation where underage drinking is going to happen or is happening, there is
something you can do! CALL 1-888-UNDER-21
An operator will take the information and report it anonymously if you wish. YOU CAN HELP STOP PROBLEMS
BEFORE THEY START!
There are many people who are addicted to alcohol. It is possible that your parent might be
an alcoholic. They come in all shapes and sizes, with all kinds of jobs and personalities. It does not make them bad people
but it is very important to learn how to take good care of yourself. Even though it is typical to keep this situation a family
secret, it is hurtful to keep it in for too long. Consider talking about it with your school counselor. They will keep it
private as long as you aren't in any danger. In the meantime, check out this website:
