What can increase your chances of weight gain, decrease your chances of doing well at school, make you unpopular with your old friends and potentially get you locked up? Er, turns out it could be your social life.

They were friends since they met on their first day of school together, but when they got to Grade 9, things began to change. It started during the school holidays. Both Xolisa and Fezekile had gone to parties and had alcohol before, but Xolisa seemed to enjoy it more than Fez did. "He got stupid: he'd go to parties and drink so much that he'd turn into a total tsotsi, pick fights with people, get in trouble and then expect me to clean up the mess," says Fez. "He just changes."

Everyone knows the story. It's pretty familiar among teens in SA and Botswana and in fact most of Southern Africa. This sort of drinking behaviour - drinking large quantities in one sitting - even has a name: it's called binge drinking, or dipsomania. And while we all seem to joke and brag about drinking, the consequences are far from funny. It's not only the weird behaviour that's a problem, heavy drinking is often the reason behind a whole lot of abuses and in some cases, even death. According to mortuary stats, the greatest cause of road deaths in South Africa is alcohol, and a study in 2000 found that between one-third and half of arrestees in Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg charged with offences categorized as “family violence” were under the influence of alcohol at the time of the alleged offence. OK, so you're probably not drinking and driving, but a Unisa study of Grade 8 (Form 3) and Grade 11 (Form 5) learners found a link between the amount of alcohol used in a month and the number of days absent from school and people who are forced to repeat a grade. The chances of repeating a grade at school were found to be 60% higher for learners who drank alcohol.

What's this got to do with me?

The answer is everything, actually. Even if you don't drink alcohol, you might know of a friend or family member who does, and that's why it's important to have this information.

Many people aren't affected by alcohol abuse, but as I'm writing this article, I'm reminded of my own experiences with it. I can still vividly remember the days when my mum and I had to run away from home after my step-dad would get drunk and start shouting at us. I remember one particular night when he hit my mother so hard that she needed a cheekbone replacement.

The saddest thing was that I could do nothing about it as I was only 10 years old at the time. But even if this story doesn't sound familiar to you, there are many other young people in our communities who know exactly what I'm talking about.

So what can I do about it?
Well the first thing is to educate yourself around the effects and dangers of alcohol abuse, even at a young age, and then share this information with any of your friends or family that might be caught in the web of alcohol abuse.

What's the big deal?
Heavy drinking is linked to risky behaviour like unsafe sex. That puts you at risk of getting a sexually transmitted disease.

Heavy drinking and not eating enough or not eating healthy food can weaken your immune system and put you at risk of becoming infected with opportunistic diseases.

Being in the company of seriously drunk people isn't much fun. The conversation is generally rubbish and they have a nasty habit of wanting to argue, falling about the place and throwing up. If that person is you on a regular basis, over time you'll find the only people prepared to put up with your behavior are others in the same boat.

Alcohol makes both men and women less sensitive to other people's feelings and this can damage relationships. If you're drinking too much, chances are it's cutting into time you could be spending doing other things as a couple. It could also encourage your partner to drink more than they should. Then you'll both be hung-over and ratty – hardly a recipe for a match made in heaven.

OK, what's binge drinking?

Binge drinking is having five or more drinks in a row by men — or four or more drinks in a row by women — at least once in the last two weeks. Heavy binge drinking includes three or more such episodes in two weeks.

Why do teens binge drink?

Liquor stores, bars, and alcoholic beverage companies make drinking seem attractive and fun. It's easy for a high school student to get caught up in a social scene. One of the biggest socially-accepted (and expected) activities among young people is drinking. Other reasons you might drink include, being curious about what it's like to drink, the belief that it will make you feel good (not realising it could just as easily make you sick and hungover), as a way to reduce stress (even though it can end up creating more stress), and because you want to feel older.

What are the risks of binge drinking?

Many people don't think about the negative side effects of drinking. Although they think about the possibility of getting drunk, they may not give much consideration to being hungover or throwing up. You may know from experience that excessive drinking can lead to difficulty concentrating, memory lapses, mood changes, and other problems that affect your day-to-day life.

Binge drinking carries more serious and longer-lasting risks as well, including:

> Alcohol Poisoning

> Impaired Judgment

> Physical Health risks

> Mental Health risks

> Alcoholism

I know I've given you a lot of info, but it's important for you to know this in order to help others. At GOLD we believe that the only way to help others is to have accurate information about what to do and where to go for help.

My friends aren't going to like this...

Peer pressure is a big part of alcohol abuse among teens. The important thing to remember is that you don't need to subject yourself to that type of pressure.

It is also important to spend time with people that have your best interests at heart and who will not force you to do anything that would harm you. Get involved in activities like sport and other clubs that will boost your confidence and bring you into the company of positive friends.

Where can you get help?

If you think you or a friend has a binge-drinking problem or is affected by someone else's drinking, get help as soon as possible. The best approach is to talk to an adult you trust. If you can't approach your parents, talk to a doctor, school counselor, community leader, aunt, or uncle.

It can be hard for some people to talk to adults about these issues, so you could also talk to a friend you trust or older brother or sister. You can also speak to a GOLD Peer Educator or facilitator. If you are reading this article it means that you are either a Peer Educator yourself or you received it from a Peer Educator. GOLD Peer Educators and facilitators are trained and educated around the topic of alcohol abuse and many other life skills. That's why they can help you or refer you to someone else who can.

Getting Help

SOUTH AFRICA

Alcoholics Anonymous 0861 HELPAA (435722)
AA has support groups all over the country. If you suspect you or a friend or relative has a drinking problem, call and find out how AA can help you.
http://www.aanonymous.org.za/

South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG): 0800 121314 (Toll Free)
SMS's can also be sent to 32312.

CHILDLINE SOUTH AFRICA: 0800 55 555

 

ZAMBIA

The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) is the agency that deals with crimes that relate to alcohol and drug abuse and in recent years has moved from purely being an enforcement agency to providing counseling and rehabilitation services for those that have alcohol and substance abuse problems.

 

BOTSWANA

Every Social and Community Development (S&CD) office in your area would have a trained social worker who could advise you on confronting alcohol dependency issues. Also, keep in mind your Botswana Police Service station number in case of emergency.

 

Sources: (Mortuary statistics) MRC/UNISA, 2002; (Alcohol and Family Violence) MRC, 2000; (Academic failure and absenteeism) 1997 – MRC/UNISA).