Teenagers

Tallulah; Schechter:

so why do so many adults end up with drink problems, gambling addictions etc for example?

i think of it this way... take adults who are alcoholics... most from what i've seen start drinking in their teens. and then become alcoholics later in life. maybe if they didnt drink in their teens they wouldnt be alcoholics... but im not saying its always like that.

ClaireBear016:

i think of it this way... take adults who are alcoholics... most from what i've seen start drinking in their teens. and then become alcoholics later in life. maybe if they didnt drink in their teens they wouldnt be alcoholics... but im not saying its always like that.

That makes sense. I remember reading somewhere that the vast majority of tobacco users started before they turned 18, and it's probably the same for alcoholics as well.
Personally, I think when someone has already been introduced to alcohol, and it makes them feel better, when you add the extra stress an adult is often under compared to a teenager, that's how they start drinking more and more.

questionable content:

ClaireBear016:

i think of it this way... take adults who are alcoholics... most from what i've seen start drinking in their teens. and then become alcoholics later in life. maybe if they didnt drink in their teens they wouldnt be alcoholics... but im not saying its always like that.

That makes sense. I remember reading somewhere that the vast majority of tobacco users started before they turned 18, and it's probably the same for alcoholics as well.
Personally, I think when someone has already been introduced to alcohol, and it makes them feel better, when you add the extra stress an adult is often under compared to a teenager, that's how they start drinking more and more.

Yeah exactly... what usually happens is teens that do drink often, when they hit the legal age to buy alcohol they go over board as they can get as much as they want. And thats just the time they become adults

That's a very naive view on why people become alcoholics.

Have you ever looked into the story of the footballer George Best's mother? She was tee-total until she was in her mid 40's. She started drinking then and died of drinking related illness within 10 years. Her downfall was nothing whatsoever to do with drinking as a teenager.

Alcoholism comes in many shapes and forms and is not always connected to teenage drinking.

Besides... this is a whole different issue.....

Tallulah; Schechter:

That's a very naive view on why people become alcoholics.

Have you ever looked into the story of the footballer George Best's mother? She was tee-total until she was in her mid 40's. She started drinking then and died of drinking related illness within 10 years. Her downfall was nothing whatsoever to do with drinking as a teenager.

Alcoholism comes in many shapes and forms and is not always connected to teenage drinking.

Besides... this is a whole different issue.....

i know, i never said that all alcoholism is from drinking in teen years...but it surely doesnt help

"what usually happens" ~ That was what you said. I never said that you were refering to all alcoholics, I merely said your view point was naive.

Tallulah; Schechter:

"what usually happens" ~ That was what you said. I never said that you were refering to all alcoholics, I merely said your view point was naive.

well okay but what im sayin is teens who drink in their teens are more likely to drink more in adulthood... but i know that its not always the case

where is your proof? Are there any studies you can refer to that back up your views on teenage drinking and the influence it has on later life.

This is going wildly off topic, the original point I was making was that adults have just as many issues as teenagers do.

ClaireBear016:

well okay but what im sayin is teens who drink in their teens are more likely to drink more in adulthood... but i know that its not always the case

I'm probably not helping the matter much here, Lulah, and I apologize for that, but I would actually have to say that the majority of adult drinkers that I know, the more they drank as teens, the less they drank as adults. If alcohol is never seen as a "taboo" or "adult" thing, people are less likely to care. Most people, teens especially, drink specifically *because* they are forbidden to do so. The appeal quickly fades after you turn 21 and it's no longer illegal.

I don't have any concrete evidence to back this up, other than to say that of all my college-graduated friends (and even those who may have gone to college but didn't finish) almost all of us binge drank as late teens/early 20s in college, and now are much more responsible drinkers in our late 20s on, I have friends who are in their 50s and 60s who would group themselves under that. Just because you drink heavily as a teen, it doesn't mean you will always do so; and many people who rarely drank as teens turn to alcohol in times of adult stress if they've never done it before.

Teenagers are the future, I know it sounds weird, but it's true after all. Sometimes parents and... other old people give teenagers too little respect.

Xiao Mao.:

I think teenagers these days are way to judgemental and steriotypical
every one in my school has a steriotype
and every one has their little clique, and no one steps out of that little clique
no one even tries to get to know other people anymore
they go by what they thinks they know
it's terribly annoying
but ignoring it has become increasingly easy
just don't let them get to you

It's a bit hard to not let them get to you sometimes though. Yes, we are judgmental and stereotypical. But that's who we are, isn't it? At my school, there are the preps and jocks, the "normal" people, the nerds, but surprisingly no "emos", sadly. There are people who borderline it, but don't wear heavy make-up or anything.

It is true that no one gets to know other people anymore. I always thought that was a good thing. I actually hate making new friends. I don't even have that many, but I hate being outgoing and trying. I've learned over time that making friends with new people is bullshit for me. I can never be the friend the person wants, and if I can't, then I won't have friends at all. Even if means being alone. I can't trust myself not to break down if I lose a friend, so I seclude myself.

Yes, wearing my band tees makes people at school judge me. But who the fuck cares. I'll do what I want, say what I want, and not give a shit as to what people say about me. I flip my finger at them and go "fuck you" when I do. xP

and sometimes teenagers give parents and "other old people" too little respect. It's a two way thing, imo, as most things are.

The adult years are MUCH harder than the teenage years, because the consequences of your actions are greater. What I miss most about being a teenager is that you can truly be yourself. You don't have to fake it if you don't want to. As an adult, whether or not if ppl like you have real consequences and rewards.

For instance:
In the teenage world, if your classmates hate you, you can choose to ignore them or even flip them the bird! If you are caught by your teacher, the worst you'll get is detention.

In the adult world: If your gossipy coworker hates your guts, you are in trouble! All it takes is one venomous "yes I like him (or her), BUT he just doesn't show enough initiative" to the right person and you could be on the next round of lay offs. It is cut throat. This is why most people become "politically correct" once reach adulthood, and especially politically correct when they have mouths to feed.

It's tiring.

And I don't even want to get started on life once you have kids!