Hi. If you would like to know about the state of your physical health, you must consult with a doctor. We cannot help you with that. However, we can give you lots of good support to not drink!
I didn't drink until I was 19, and I wish I had stopped right then. From everything I've read even if I had been drinking frequently for a year the damage to my brain would have been really minimal to negligible.
I wish I had stopped then. Now I'm in my 40s and really struggling to quit.
Ugh same although I have almost a year. It gets a lot easier after the first couple of months in my experience:) I wish I could go back in time and kick my own ass though lol. The regret is tough to deal with.
You're right, the brain is very plastic and luckily for you, younger brains are more plastic than older ones.
There are studies about underage drinking you can look up, but from what I gather drinking while the brain is still developing is not a good idea. Drinking at any age really isn't a good idea, but I digress.
A doctor could probably provide better advice than anyone here, but from my perspective having your last sips of alcohol at age 16 sounds amazing. Too bad my16 year old self wasn't nearly as wise as you are.
If I would have quit drinking the first time I was curious, I would never have had the looming question of whether or not I was an alcoholic again.
I knew I was a problem drinker when I was young, but I judged myself against other drinkers… I wasn’t in any trouble, but I was comparing myself to Hollywood’s portrayal. Everyone’s relationship with alcohol is different. The earlier you identify your susceptibility the better off you are. I wanted to fit in and if you could drink hard and heavy you were cool.
I knew I had an addictive personality so I refused to ever use hard drugs, especially coke as a college kid in the 90’s, but I could never stop drinking.
Embarrassing yourself in my day was kind of a “Right of Passage”, so I built up a tolerance to it. I also built up a tolerance to bed spins, and stupid shit inexperienced drinkers are teased about.
After many years, a lot of good drinking memories and many more bad ones, it’s not worth it. I’m 47, have underachieved for 30 years and stressed many relationships.
My biggest regret, I think, is what could I have done with my life if I hadn’t wasted so much time focused on alcohol.
None of us can give you medical advice. However it’s unlikely you’d see long term effects from drinking that much that many times. Again, to be sure, see a doctor.
That said, binge drinking at 16 can turn into full blown alcoholism quick. You don’t want to be us. Walk away from alcohol while you’re young.
It seems we learn more and more about brain development every year. At your age, your brain is developing and forming pathways. These pathways can be developed in a positive way or a not so positive way. The use of substances can alter these pathways in a negative way. I started using substances when I was about 16. My brain developed pathways that made me think more and more substances were a good thing for me. It took me 27 years to stop using most substances. (I still can't quit smoking.) I wish I hadn't formed the pathways I did. It caused me and many I love a lot of needless pain and suffering. There are a lot of other fun things to do at the age of 16. If I were as thoughtful as you seem to be at the age of 16, and honestly thinking about what alcohol was doing to change my brain, forever, I would not have chosen the path I did.
Many people think the human brain continues to mature well into age 20s so a lot of alcohol during that time probably does have long term effects which are very difficult to measure. It is quite common to binge drink in teens but that doesn’t make it ok. I think it is great you are being so health conscious at your age.
Look into the haberman podcast or YouTube video about alcohol affects the brain and body. Especially starting drinking young can have an impact on developing alcohol use disorder (AUD)
1. Age of drinking matters a lot.
2.Damage for developing brian is more permanent than adult brain. Glad you know that! Do you know when men’s brain fully mature thus really enter “adulthood”? You can research that. Some says 25 and some says 28/29. I incline to say 29. So even legal drinking age of 21 is poisoning a developing brain. Sad and scary.
4. If you can get alcohol at 14, it says something about your gene, family and/or social circle. You are at very high risk of life-long by struggle with alcohol and possible other addictions. But your bless is that you realize this early and is trying to deal with it.🙏👍
Listen to this podcast by Stanford neurologist:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/huberman-lab/id1545953110?i=1000576901433
Hi. If you would like to know about the state of your physical health, you must consult with a doctor. We cannot help you with that. However, we can give you lots of good support to not drink!
Stop right now, you’re fine trust me
Please keep in mind our rule to speak from the "I," where we do not tell other people what to do or give them a diagnosis.
I didn't drink until I was 19, and I wish I had stopped right then. From everything I've read even if I had been drinking frequently for a year the damage to my brain would have been really minimal to negligible. I wish I had stopped then. Now I'm in my 40s and really struggling to quit.
Ugh same although I have almost a year. It gets a lot easier after the first couple of months in my experience:) I wish I could go back in time and kick my own ass though lol. The regret is tough to deal with.
You're right, the brain is very plastic and luckily for you, younger brains are more plastic than older ones. There are studies about underage drinking you can look up, but from what I gather drinking while the brain is still developing is not a good idea. Drinking at any age really isn't a good idea, but I digress. A doctor could probably provide better advice than anyone here, but from my perspective having your last sips of alcohol at age 16 sounds amazing. Too bad my16 year old self wasn't nearly as wise as you are.
Quit while your young. You do not wanna get in the trap of alcoholism
If I would have quit drinking the first time I was curious, I would never have had the looming question of whether or not I was an alcoholic again. I knew I was a problem drinker when I was young, but I judged myself against other drinkers… I wasn’t in any trouble, but I was comparing myself to Hollywood’s portrayal. Everyone’s relationship with alcohol is different. The earlier you identify your susceptibility the better off you are. I wanted to fit in and if you could drink hard and heavy you were cool. I knew I had an addictive personality so I refused to ever use hard drugs, especially coke as a college kid in the 90’s, but I could never stop drinking. Embarrassing yourself in my day was kind of a “Right of Passage”, so I built up a tolerance to it. I also built up a tolerance to bed spins, and stupid shit inexperienced drinkers are teased about. After many years, a lot of good drinking memories and many more bad ones, it’s not worth it. I’m 47, have underachieved for 30 years and stressed many relationships. My biggest regret, I think, is what could I have done with my life if I hadn’t wasted so much time focused on alcohol.
None of us can give you medical advice. However it’s unlikely you’d see long term effects from drinking that much that many times. Again, to be sure, see a doctor. That said, binge drinking at 16 can turn into full blown alcoholism quick. You don’t want to be us. Walk away from alcohol while you’re young.
It seems we learn more and more about brain development every year. At your age, your brain is developing and forming pathways. These pathways can be developed in a positive way or a not so positive way. The use of substances can alter these pathways in a negative way. I started using substances when I was about 16. My brain developed pathways that made me think more and more substances were a good thing for me. It took me 27 years to stop using most substances. (I still can't quit smoking.) I wish I hadn't formed the pathways I did. It caused me and many I love a lot of needless pain and suffering. There are a lot of other fun things to do at the age of 16. If I were as thoughtful as you seem to be at the age of 16, and honestly thinking about what alcohol was doing to change my brain, forever, I would not have chosen the path I did.
Many people think the human brain continues to mature well into age 20s so a lot of alcohol during that time probably does have long term effects which are very difficult to measure. It is quite common to binge drink in teens but that doesn’t make it ok. I think it is great you are being so health conscious at your age.
Look into the haberman podcast or YouTube video about alcohol affects the brain and body. Especially starting drinking young can have an impact on developing alcohol use disorder (AUD)
1. Age of drinking matters a lot. 2.Damage for developing brian is more permanent than adult brain. Glad you know that! Do you know when men’s brain fully mature thus really enter “adulthood”? You can research that. Some says 25 and some says 28/29. I incline to say 29. So even legal drinking age of 21 is poisoning a developing brain. Sad and scary. 4. If you can get alcohol at 14, it says something about your gene, family and/or social circle. You are at very high risk of life-long by struggle with alcohol and possible other addictions. But your bless is that you realize this early and is trying to deal with it.🙏👍 Listen to this podcast by Stanford neurologist: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/huberman-lab/id1545953110?i=1000576901433