Thinking of Putting your Teen in an Alcohol Rehab Center?

The signs are IN your face. Your cheerful child has suddenly turned into a sullen teenager. At first, you brush it off as raging hormones. You attribute it to the turbulent teenage years, where most teenagers try to define their identities with rebellion. After all, did you not go through the same phase yourself? Did you not put your parents through the same experience?

So, now it is YOUR turn. But, the symptoms are a lot different from your own angst-ridden years. According to the Mayo Clinic, you, as a parent, have to be ever watchful for the following signs:

• Less or no interest in activities and hobbies.

• Bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and memory lapses.

• Difficulties or changes in relationships with friends, often characterized by joining a new crowd.

• Declining grades and problems in school.

• Frequent mood changes and defensive behavior.

Does your teenager exhibit the above-mentioned signs? If you have ticked at least 3 symptoms on that checklist, the next question is - what are you waiting for? There is no minute to waste, put your teenager in an alcohol rehab center! If you are still ambivalent about an alcohol rehab center, consider the risks to your teen's physical and mental health.

Why Put your Teenager through Alcohol Rehab NOW?

Alcohol is now the substance of choice among teenagers as young as 12. According to the CSAP (Center for Substance Abuse Prevention), "Nearly half of all 8th graders have had at least 1 drink, and over 20% have been drunk." If that is not alarming enough, the following statistics may further shock you:

• 16% of 8th graders, 25% of 10th graders, and 30% of 12th graders engage in binge drinking (5 or more drinks on one occasion for males, 4 or more drinks for a female).

• 80% reported drinking AND driving.

• More than half of the participants reported missing work or school, being involved in car accidents and getting arrested for DUI (Driving Under the Influence).

Though shocked, we may still brush away the statistics and put down our teenager's antics to being a wild child. But hey (!), Charlie Sheen was once a wild child – look at him now. Not a pretty sight, is he? Youthful drinkers are 4 times more likely to continue abusing alcohol into adulthood. And like Charlie Sheen, who has been in and out of alcohol rehab centers, less likely to find it easy to quit.