What this article is about
A teen’s brain is still growing and changing, which means alcohol can affect them differently than it does adults. Teens also tend to drink differently from adults: they typically drink less often, but they’re likely to binge drink when they do. Understanding what is happening in the teen brain can help explain why underage drinking can become dangerous so quickly. In this article, we’ll review why the teen brain responds to alcohol differently, the effects drinking can have on youth development, and how you can keep your teen as safe and informed as possible.
What are the differences between a teen brain and an adult brain?
Brain development continues well into a person’s 20s (though more recent research suggests that it might keepgoing into the early 30s). 1
One of the last areas to fully mature is the prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for planning, decision-making, problem solving, focusing, controlling impulses, and managing emotions.2 Alcohol slows down the prefrontal cortex, which can cause someone to act without thinking and make poor decisions.
The parts of the brain involved in rewards, emotions, and new experiences are very active during the teen years. As a result, they are more likely than adults to: 3
- Take risks
- Act impulsively or with very little thought
- Ignore consequences
- Engage in fights
- Respond with more intense emotion
Think of the teen brain like a car that’s all gas and (almost!) no brakes. Teens are learning how to make independent decisions, manage emotions, form social relationships, and judge risk levels. That doesn’t mean teens are unable to make good decisions—but alcohol can make it much harder.
Do teens drink differently than adults?
Teens drink more
In general, teens drink less often than adults, but when they do drink, they’re likely to consume more alcohol. That means that an adult might have one glass of wine a few nights a week, while a teen might drink 4-5 drinks on an occasional Saturday night. This is called binge drinking or high intensity drinking (8-10 drinks in a short period of time).
Sometimes, parents may think that teaching their children to drink at home, under their supervision, will help them learn to drink responsibly. But research suggests the opposite: teens who are allowed to drink at home may actually drink more and experience more alcohol-related problems. In addition, at home is also very different from drinking in real-world situations teens may face, such as at a house party, after a high school football game, or before prom, where there may be peer pressure, easy access to alcohol, and less adult supervision.
Teens feel effects differently
Research shows that teens might be less sensitive to some of alcohol’s immediate effects than adults, such as sleepiness, nausea, or problems with balance and coordination. 4
Think of these symptoms like a red traffic light in the brain. If someone feels them enough, they know that it’s time to stop drinking. However, a teen may not get that signal as strongly. Even though they can still be seriously impaired, they might not feel as sleepy or uncoordinated as an adult would at the same point. In other words, they might feel like they can keep drinking more, even though they can’t safely handle more. That can lead them to drink dangerous amounts of alcohol in a short period of time before they, or someone around them, realize something’s wrong.
How does alcohol affect judgement?
Alcohol makes it harder for the brain to control impulses and make thoughtful decisions. This applies to anyone at any age, but since teens are still developing these skills, it’s more likely to lead to poor decision-making. These might include:
- Drinking and driving
- Getting into a car with someone who has been drinking
- Physical fights
- Strained relationships
- Having unsafe or unwanted sexual experiences
- Using other substances
- Taking physical risks they normally wouldn’t take
Alcohol can interfere with the brain’s ability to recognize danger. Something that would normally seem like a bad idea, like jumping over a fence into private property, may not feel as risky after drinking.
How does alcohol impact memory?
Alcohol can interfere with the hippocampus, which is the part of the brain responsible for learning and making memories.5
Even drinking a small amount can affect someone’s short-term memory. Drinking a large amount in a short period of time can result in a blackout. During this time, a person is still awake, and they might be walking, having full conversations, sending texts, and interacting with others. However, their brain is unable to store memories during this time. That means they may wake up the next day with no memory of what happened the night before.
Because the teen brain is still developing, frequent alcohol use can also result in long-term problems with memory.6
Can alcohol change how the teen brain develops?
Adolescence is an especially important time for brain development. The brain is highly adaptable during these years, learning new skills, how to build relationships, and developing independence. It’s like a rubber band, expanding, stretching, and flexing. But that can make the brain more at risk to long-term health effects of alcohol use.
Research suggests that heavy alcohol use during the teen years can interfere with normal brain development, leading to potential issues later in life. Studies have found links between heavy teen drinking and changes in areas involved in:
- Planning and decision-making
- Learning and memory
- Emotions
- Recognizing danger and risky situations
- Communication between different parts of the brain
Does drinking as a teen increase the risk of alcohol problems later?
The younger someone starts drinking, the higher their risk of developing issues with alcohol, including alcohol use disorder, later in life.
Of course, this does not mean that every teen who drinks will have problems with alcohol. Many factors have a role, including a family history of addiction, mental health, environment, stress, and how often and how much they drink. However, delaying use as long as possible, especially while the brain develops, can reduce this risk for everyone.
How do I talk to my teen about their developing brain?
Keep it factual
You don’t have to prepare to give your teen a long, scary lecture about brain science. But giving them the facts about the risks of alcohol use now can help fight misinformation from others in the future.
A simple message can be more useful: “You might be curious about using alcohol right now. But it affects you differently while your brain is developing. For example, you might be able to drink a lot before your body gives you obvious signs to stop—much more than me. But that doesn’t mean you’re not in danger.”
Explain why “feeling fine” doesn’t mean you’re “fine"
A teen may see someone drink a lot without falling asleep or stumbling and assume that person has a “high tolerance” for alcohol. Explain that appearing okay is not the same as being okay. Someone’s judgment, memory, reaction time, and ability to recognize danger can already be affected even if they seem “normal.”
Have conversations early
It’s easier to think through a risky situation before it happens. Talk to your teen before they’re in situations where alcohol might be present.
Ask questions like:
- “What would you do if there was alcohol at a party?”
- “What if your ride home started drinking?”
- “How could you leave without feeling embarrassed in front of your friends?”
- “Who could you call if you needed help?”
Listen to what your teen has to say before jumping in with your thoughts. Understanding how your teen thinks about these situations gives you a better chance of helping them prepare for when they do happen. Plus, they’ll know that they can have a conversation with you whenever they have questions, rather than being scared of a lecture.
Give them a safe way out
Make sure your teen knows they can contact you if they or a friend are in an unsafe situation involving alcohol.
Safety always comes first. Promise your teen that you’ll always be available to help them get out of a dangerous situation. A conversation about rules and consequences can come later.
Some families create a code that means, “Come get me. I need an exit.” This might mean a certain phrase over the phone or an emoji sent over text. Knowing there is a way out can make it easier for a teen to leave a risky situation before it gets worse.
The bottom line
Teenagers aren’t smaller adults—much as they might like to think they are—and their brains don’t respond to alcohol in exactly the same way. This is because they are still developing the functions involved in planning, impulse control, and decision-making—all characteristics that alcohol impacts. That can make drinking especially risky during adolescence.
You don’t need to turn every conversation into a lecture about the brain. Give your teen clear information, talk about situations they may actually face, and make sure they know they can come to you when something goes wrong. That way, their brain can continue to do the hard work of developing without interruptions.
If you are worried and need guidance on what to say or do, our free and confidential helpline specialists are here to listen to your concerns and help you plan your next steps. You don’t have to go through this alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can teens sometimes drink more than adults without seeming drunk?
While research is still ongoing, it suggests that adolescent brains may be less sensitive to some effects of alcohol, including sleepiness and loss of coordination. Importantly, seeming less drunk does not mean a teen is less impaired or has less alcohol in their system.
Is there an automatic “stop button” for drinking?
There isn’t a literal stop button in the brain. But adults have better impulse control. Knowing that they have to go to work early in the morning or experiencing effects like sleepiness and poor coordination can discourage them from continuing to drink. Research suggests some of these effects may be less pronounced for adolescents, who are still learning how to assess risk and make good choices. The combination of fewer physical symptoms along with the still-developing brain can make their judgment and impulse control worse.
Do teens binge drink more than adults?
Yes. Teens generally drink less often than adults, but when they do drink, they tend to consume more alcohol at one time. Teens also likely need fewer drinks to reach the same blood alcohol concentration as an adult would.
Can alcohol permanently damage the brain?
Heavy drinking during adolescence has been linked with changes in brain structure and function, including areas involved in memory, decision-making, and emotions. Scientists are still studying what effects can last, but the developing brain also has a strong ability to change and recover.
Why are blackouts especially concerning?
A blackout means alcohol has interfered with the brain’s ability to form new memories. A person can still be awake and doing things during a blackout but later have little or no memory of them. If a teen is so impaired that they don’t remember what happened the next day, they’re likely too impaired to have made good decisions during their blackout, too. Blackouts are a sign of dangerous alcohol use.
At what age does the brain finish developing?
There isn’t one exact age when brain development suddenly stops. Important changes continue into a person’s 20s, including development in areas involved in planning, decision-making, and impulse control, but some research indicates that it can even keep going into the early 30s.
Does letting my teen drink at home teach them to drink responsibly?
It might be the opposite. Research has found that children whose parents allow them to drink may be more likely to develop unhealthy drinking patterns later on.
What should I do if I find out my teen has been drinking?
First, make sure they’re safe. When the immediate situation is over, don’t start with a lecture; try to find out what happened rather than beginning with accusations. Ask where they were, how much they drank, who they were with, and whether this has happened before. A conversation gives you the information you need to decide what should happen next.