Know if your teenager has a problem with alcohol

beers in colourful bucket

The questions below are from a self-test for young people at the Australian Drug Foundation website. They're a good starting point for your conversation with your teen about alcoholism:

  • Do you use alcohol to feel more self-confident, more sociable, or more powerful?

  • Do you ever drink after you have a problem at home or at school?

  • Have you lost friends because of your alcohol use or started hanging out with a heavy drinking group of friends?

  • Do you feel guilty or really bad after using alcohol because you don’t know what happened the night before?

  • Have you been in trouble at home or school, missed school or needed medical attention because of alcohol?

  • Do you consume more alcohol than your friends regularly do?

  • Do you think you have a problem with alcohol?

If your teenager needs help taking steps to reduce their dependence on alcohol there are services available that a GP or psychologist can refer you or your teenager to. ReachOut NextStep offers personalised tips and help, and will connect you with useful info and services.

Did you find what you needed?

  • Yes - Learn how to set expectations with teenagers about alcohol.

  • No - Read about talking with your teenager to make healthy choices with alcohol.

  • I need to know more - Read our fact sheet about alcohol.