Teenage Drinking and Mental Health
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September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. For parents and other members of the community, this is an opportunity to broach what can often be an uncomfortable or difficult topic with teenagers.
Unfortunately, suicide is a leading cause of death among adolescents—and one of the most significant risk factors for it is alcohol use.
Get the facts about the risks of underage drinking, how it’s linked to the risk of suicide, warning signs to look out for, and what you can do to help.
Alcohol and Mental Illness: What’s the Link?
First, it’s important to understand how underage drinking impacts the brain, which continues developing until around age 25. In addition to the many short-term risks posed by alcohol, adolescents face a significant danger: critical areas of their brains can be damaged or reduced in size. Long after the buzz wears off, alcohol has the potential to negatively impact almost every aspect of a teen’s life, and those effects can be lifelong.
The risks aren’t just to one’s physical health: young people who drink have an increased risk of depression and anxiety. Teens and adolescents who are already in distress may reach for alcohol to alleviate their pain, only to find themselves caught in the cycle of addiction. But even among teens with no known preexisting conditions—who drink simply to have a good time—alcohol can trigger psychological distress.
While alcohol itself does not cause mental illnesses, it does contribute to depressive symptoms which can make stress harder to manage, exacerbate existing or underlying mental health conditions, and increase the risk of developing a mood disorder or mental illness later in life—and any of these situations can increase the risk for suicide.
Underage Drinking and Suicide
While there are typically multiple, complex reasons contributing to a death by suicide, alcohol is a factor in at least one-quarter of all suicides in the United States (particularly among males). In young people, the connection between alcohol use and suicide is strong. High school students who drink are twice as likely to consider suicide, and four times more likely to make a suicide attempt, compared to their peers who don’t consume alcohol.
Remember that the teenage years are a time of great change—but in the moment, these changes can make your child feel unstable or unconnected. Drinking only causes other problems in their lives—at home, at school, with the law, and among friends. These problems lead to increased feelings of isolation or hopelessness, and an increased risk of depression.
Tips for Parents and the Community
Talking with your teenager about tough topics like underage drinking and suicide can be difficult, and it may feel easier to sweep them under the rug. But these conversations are crucial—they give you the chance to observe how your child is feeling and to catch any warning signs of a problem, and they increase the chances that your child will come to you later if a problem does arise.
And contrary to what many think, discussing suicide does not encourage it. The fact is, your teen has already heard about suicide, whether it was on TV, in the news, or in the real world. So when you bring this topic up, you’re destigmatizing it, rather than glamorizing it.
Keep tabs on your teen so that even if they’re not ready to open up, you know what’s “normal” for them. A sudden drop in grades, new problems at school or on a sports team, or a change in friend group can all signal that your teen may be drinking. Stay alert for other suicide risk factors as well—in addition to drinking and drug use, these can include having depression or other mental health conditions, being socially isolated, or being exposed to prolonged stress caused by poverty, abuse, or bullying.
Although your relationship may feel strained during the teenage years, staying connected is more important than ever. A strong connection to their family and/or community plays a major in preventing both alcohol misuse and suicide among adolescents. Help your child build problem solving, coping, and other life skills; allow them to find social support among your family, friends, and the community; and provide a caring environment without access to drugs, alcohol, or firearms. Even if they don’t seem to be listening to you, parents remain the #1 reason that children choose not to drink.
Help is Available
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or struggling with thoughts of suicide, don’t wait to reach out. Free, confidential help is available 24/7. Dial 988 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, or text ‘TALK’ to the Crisis Text Line at 741741. These services can help you get access to a mental health evaluation and treatment for your child.
Visit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention website to learn more and to find additional resources.
Resources included at the recommendation of Reporting on Suicide.