Mental health and self-esteem make our world the world it is. Everybody has a reason to be here. Mental health nowadays, is extremely crucial to our world, along with self-esteem. In this series, I’ll elaborate on the different challenges our generation goes through and how to help someone or yourself go through them. No one is in this alone, we are all growing up in the same world together.
A struggle not just our generation is facing is the overabundance of drinking alcohol. Whether the increase in mental health struggles is leading to more consumption of alcohol. It is illegal for a person under the age of 21 to consume alcohol, and on top of it being illegal, it’s very dangerous. Drinking alcohol can lead to alcohol addiction, drinking and driving, and possibly alcohol poisoning which possibly can lead to death.
Alcohol
Underage drinking in the United States is an ongoing problem, which has made alcohol the most used substance in the United States’ adolescents. Alcohol leads to bad decision-making, especially for teenagers and younger youth. In recent years, according to a 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, girls have been drinking alcohol more than boys.
How to help someone struggling
Sometimes, we don’t understand why people do things, this is one of those times. Be there for your friend, try to make them feel better by talking them through their issues. Talk to them about the dangers of drinking whether your friend is underage or not, and tell them you’re worried about them. The conversation may be uncomfortable, but it’s necessary. Avoid trying to judge them, choose your words wisely. You should try to get your friend to seek help, whether it’s from a guidance counselor a trusted adult, or their parents. You can even offer to sit with them while they tell an adult. And if it gets to the point where they’re heavily relying on alcohol, you need to tell a trusted adult or a counselor. Something a lot of students don’t know is that if you go to a counselor and say “My friend has a drinking problem,” they will help your friend get the help they need, they will not get in trouble, they’ll get the help they need. And if it’s beyond a counselor’s help, call the police or Safe2Say, so they can step in immediately before it’s too late. Now if you’re there when a friend passes out from consumption of alcohol, put your friend in the recovery position as soon as you possibly can.
Recovery Position
If you ever find yourself in a situation with a friend passed out on the ground from the overabundance of alcohol in their system, put your friend in the recovery position as soon as possible. What is the recovery position? The recovery position is a position that can help an intoxicated person not only breathe but also throw up alcohol from alcohol poisoning. You are going to take your friend’s arm that is closest to you and put it straight out. It should be as straight as you can get it and should be straight out from the shoulder. Then bend the knee on the opposite side as the arm straight out. After that, you’re going to take the other arm and run it across their body. Following all of that you’re going to turn your friend on their side, whichever side the straight arm is on, they should be on that side. Then you’re going to tilt their head up, to help them breathe when they regain consciousness. As soon as you are done putting them in this position, call 911 immediately. Paramedics will be there shortly to help save your friend’s life. See the picture below for what the recovery position should look like.
If you have an alcohol problem, you should tell a trusted adult. Your alcohol problem can get worse and if it does it may threaten your life. Seek help from a guidance counselor, they’ll point you toward a way to get help. If you need help call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) at 1-800-662-4357.
If you have a problem, whether it be depression or alcohol, seek help. You can get through this, just not alone. Look around you, look at your friends who are there to love and support you, look at your teachers who want to see you succeed, and look at your parents who want nothing but the best for you. You’re an extraordinary person, do not let alcohol change that.
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