Early drinking may be normalised in many cultures, but it comes with serious risks, including death and disability.
To combat this, we’re advising how to spot early signs of alcohol misuse, and how to keep drinking as safe as possible, preventing alcohol-related accidents, injuries, and mental health crises.
For information on alcoholism addiction treatment, get in touch with us on 0800 140 4690 (UK) or +44 345 222 3508 (international). Our advisors will introduce you to Rehab 4 Addiction, and highlight exactly how we can support you or your loved one.
In the UK, 68% of Gen Z report binge drinking in the last year, and almost a third have regularly consumed six or more alcoholic drinks in one sitting (1).
Factors such as peer pressure, cultural norms, and ease of access mean young people are exposed to alcohol in many different areas of life, from Fresher’s club nights to after-work drinks.
With many seeing heavy drinking as a rite of passage, dangerous behaviours can easily fly under the radar. As well as binge drinking, many young people are drinking on a daily basis, structuring their social life around alcohol, and experiencing blackouts.
Often, alcohol is presumed to be safer than illicit drugs. Plenty of young people drink without being aware of just how damaging alcohol can be, both physically and psychologically.
Drinking at a young age comes with more risks, but why?
Our brains are still developing throughout our young adult years. If we drink alcohol during this time, especially excessively, it can harm the brain development process.
As we’re learning how to control our impulses, make better decisions, and regulate our emotions, alcohol can hinder these processes, which can sometimes be a permanent outcome of early drinking.
Young people often have a lower tolerance to alcohol. When they first start drinking, they may struggle to know how much alcohol affects them, which can lead to binge drinking.
When someone binge drinks, they experience sudden spikes in their blood alcohol levels. Young binge drinkers are potentially damaging their health for years to come.
Adolescence is a time when we tend to take more risks. We don’t always understand the consequences of our actions, and we also find it harder to control ourselves once we’ve decided we want to engage in a risky behaviour.
When alcohol is added to the mix, inhibitions are even lower than normal, and it can lead to poor decision-making. Often, alcohol is behind many teenage accidents and injuries.
This isn’t about fearmongering. We know that many young adults drink and don’t end up facing trauma such as disability or death.
However, both of these are risks when it comes to early drinking, and it’s something we need to highlight.
Minor injuries from a drunken fall may not seem like a big deal, but that’s the mild end of the spectrum. Alcohol can, and does, cause severe injuries and accidents in young people.
The risk of falling is much higher when someone is under the influence, due to poor balance and coordination. One clumsy fall can lead to a serious head injury, potentially resulting in disability or death.
Road traffic collisions are another serious risk associated with alcohol. If a young person is drink driving, or being driven by someone who is under the influence, they are at a higher risk of getting into a crash. Slowed reaction times are a key cause of this.
Another risk that is heightened with alcohol is drowning. It’s not uncommon for a young person to wander home after a night out, near a body of water, and end up falling in and drowning.
Drinking too much alcohol can lead to alcohol poisoning, which causes symptoms such as vomiting, breathing issues, and confusion. Without medical intervention, this can take lives.
Alcohol is a depressant. It can worsen mental illness symptoms in young people who are depressed, anxious, paranoid, or are dealing with any other mental health struggle.
Even for people without a specific diagnosis, drinking excessively during a difficult time may intensify negative emotions. Particularly the day after drinking, our mood drops, and it’s more common to feel worse than we did before we started drinking.
When we look at severe mental health crises, alcohol is often involved. In fact, alcohol use is associated with a 94% increase in the risk of completed suicide, and for young drinkers, the risk of suicide is already higher as it is (2).
Adolescent drinkers are more likely to become violent, and be a victim of violence, than their sober peers.
When we look at domestic violence incidents, street fights, and assaults, alcohol is frequently present.
By definition, long-term drinking effects aren’t seen until further into a young person’s life. This is why it’s crucial to keep an eye on early signs, and prevent issues from becoming permanent health conditions.
Early drinking is linked to a range of health conditions in later life, including:
Though it’s healthy for young people to avoid drinking altogether, we know it’s not realistic. Many young people will still turn to alcohol.
However, if we all knew the signs of problematic alcohol use, we could look out for the youth in our life, helping them avoid long-term damage. Some signs to keep in mind are:
There are ways to enjoy drinking without engaging in risky behaviours. Reducing risk might look like:
If you know you already struggle to cut down on alcohol, it may be time to seek help. There’s nothing to be ashamed of, as dependence can creep up on anyone.
We would recommend speaking to a loved one about your problem, but also arranging professional support as soon as possible. The earlier you get treatment, from home detoxing to inpatient alcohol rehab, the more likely it is that you will avoid long-term damage, including addiction.
We welcome young clients with open arms. By talking to you about your alcohol use, we can help you to find the right support, whether it’s a 28-day rehab stay or a referral to a local self-help group.
Debating whether your problem is “bad enough”? We hear this all the time. There’s no pressure to make a rash decision.
Reach out to us on 0800 140 4690 (UK) or +44 345 222 3508 (international) and we will talk through exactly what’s going on, helping you determine whether you would benefit from professional support.
Below, we answer some common questions around this important topic:
According to the NHS, binge drinking is classed as 6+ units for women and 8+ units for men in one session (3).
This may be different in other countries. The general definition is looser, and it involves heavy drinking over a short period of time.
Yes, young people can become addicted to alcohol. The cycle of addiction can affect people of any age.
Sometimes, adolescents delay seeking help because their addiction is more normalised due to their age. It’s important to carefully consider the signs of addiction and seek professional support regardless of your age.
Yes, alcohol can cause permanent brain damage in young people. This isn’t a common occurrence, but it can happen due to structural or cognitive changes in the brain.
Certain factors make permanent brain damage more likely in young drinkers. Some of these are behaviours (e.g., binge drinking), while others include biological vulnerability and health conditions.
Usually, this damage can’t be undone. However, in rare cases, if someone stops drinking completely, the damage may be repaired.
Inpatient rehab is the best place to go for alcohol addiction, in terms of reputability, level of care, and the likelihood of establishing long-term sobriety.
There are other options for people who wouldn’t benefit from residential rehab, or perhaps can’t yet go to a facility, such as outpatient rehab, home detoxing, sober coaching, and fellowship groups.
If you don’t get any treatment at all for your addiction, it is likely to get worse. The damage to your brain and body may be irreversible, and the longer you leave it, the harder recovery will be. Early intervention does wonders for someone with alcohol addiction.
[1] https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/mar/substance-use-rise-among-gen-z-their-early-20s
Boris is our editor-in-chief at Rehab 4 Addiction. Boris is an addiction expert with more than 20 years in the field. His expertise covers a broad of topics relating to addiction, rehab and recovery. Boris is an addiction therapist and assists in the alcohol detox and rehab process. Boris has been featured on a variety of websites, including the BBC, Verywell Mind and Healthline. You can connect with Boris online at LinkedIn or X.com.
