Unfortunately girls are catching up with boys in the amount of alcohol they drink and this drinking goes beyond the innocent wine cooler or rum & coke. Girls are drinking and they are drinking heavy. Research has found that girls drink (1) because of low self esteem; (2) to deal with depression; (3) cope or relieve stress; and/or (4) to be part of a social circle.
Alcohol is going to affect a young girl differently than their male counterpart due to body makeup and chemistry. For example, an average girl's body is going to have less water than a boys, therefore when drinking the alcohol is less diluted. As a result the alcohol becomes highly concentrated in her blood. With this higher concentration in the bloodstream, girls become intoxicated faster than boys. Thus they are at greater risk of blackouts with less consumption.
Alcohol use in girls has been associated with pubertal transition. Girls who enter puberty earlier than their friends show an earlier onset of alcohol use, whereas late maturing girls are more likely to abstain from substance use. In addition, girls may become more easily intoxicated during their menstrual cycle.
Adolescent moms who are drinking while they are pregnant create a whole different layer of concerns. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is harmful to the fetus. A mother should also abstain from drinking while she is breast feeding. Many teen girls do not know they are pregnant or live in denial as long as they can. When they drink at a young age they are not only causing changes in their own brain but putting the fetus at risk. It can also be much more difficult to reason with a young girl about why she needs to stop drinking.
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