Why Your Teen Turns to Alcohol: Understanding Anxiety and Drinking
- Kelly McCullough, LCSW
- 14 hours ago
- 3 min read
“My teen keeps drinking despite our talks.”
“She sneaks drinks at parties and won’t open up about it.”
“I found empty bottles in his closet again.”
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many parents struggle with their teen’s alcohol use—and while it might seem like typical rebellious behavior, it often signals deeper challenges, including anxiety or emotional distress. For many teens, alcohol becomes a way to cope with feelings they don’t yet have tools to manage.
In this blog, we’ll explore why teens turn to alcohol, how it can worsen anxiety, and what parents can do to support healthier choices and emotional well-being. Whether your teen is drinking occasionally, heavily, or you’re just worried about the signs, this guide is for you.
Why Teens Use Alcohol to Cope with Anxiety
For some teens, alcohol can seem like an easy way to relax or escape anxious thoughts and social pressures. But the relief it offers is temporary—and alcohol actually worsens anxiety symptoms over time by disrupting brain chemistry and sleep patterns.
Teens may struggle with:
Social anxiety or fear of fitting in
Stress from school, peers, or family
Underlying depression or trauma
Difficulty regulating emotions
Alcohol may initially seem to help, but it can lead to:
Increased anxiety and panic attacks
Mood swings or irritability
Poor decision-making and risky behavior
Developing dependence on alcohol to cope
1. Validate Your Teen’s Feelings While Setting Boundaries
Start by acknowledging your teen’s struggles and emotions around anxiety and stress. Say things like:
“I know things feel overwhelming right now.”
“It’s normal to feel pressure, but drinking isn’t the solution.”
“It’s okay to ask for help or talk about what’s hard.”
Validating feelings shows you care, but it’s equally important to set clear limits around alcohol use to keep your teen safe. We will talk more on how to set limits effectively with your teen a little later.
2. Understand the Link Between Alcohol and Anxiety
Alcohol can feel like a quick fix, but it can worsen anxiety in the long run. Teens who rely on alcohol as a way to cope with social anxiety find themselves increasingly more anxious when sober in social situations, and with less social skills practice. Teens often don’t realize that drinking can make their fears, worries, and mood swings more intense.
Educating your teen about how alcohol affects their brain and emotions can be a powerful step toward change.
3. Set Clear, Consistent Boundaries
This could mean setting firm house rules about alcohol use. You might:
Check your teen’s room or belongings and remove any alcohol or related items you find.
Limit time spent with friends known to drink.
Establish curfews and consequences for rule-breaking.
It’s okay to be the “bad guy” here. Remind yourself (and your teen) that reducing alcohol use improve both anxiety and mood symptoms long-term. Enforce boundaries consistently, while remaining empathetic to the challenges your teen is facing.
4. Encourage Healthy Coping Skills
Help your teen find healthier ways to manage anxiety or depression, such as:
Exercise or sports
Creative outlets like art or music
Mindfulness or relaxation exercises
Talking with a trusted adult or therapist
These tools empower your teen to face anxiety without relying on alcohol.
5. Know When to Seek Professional Help
If your teen’s alcohol use or anxiety is causing frequent family conflict, interfering with schoolwork, or feels overwhelming, it’s important to seek professional support. Signs of physical dependence or incidents like being caught with alcohol on school grounds are serious red flags—indicating that early intervention can make a crucial difference in your teen’s well-being and long-term recovery.
Final Thoughts: Supporting Your Teen Toward Healthier Choices
Watching your teen struggle with alcohol and anxiety can be heartbreaking. But with understanding, clear boundaries, and the right support, meaningful change is possible.
Remember, it’s a process—one step at a time.
If your family needs help navigating this journey, consider reaching out to a therapist who specializes in teen anxiety and substance use. Our San Diego, California based counseling practice specializes in helping teens and adults who struggle with anxiety. Through counseling, we help kids and young adults overcome the negative thought cycles, the constant comparison game, and worst-case scenarios that accompany the anxious brain. Additionally, we offer other mental health services, primarily for perfectionists, overachievers or others who don’t feel like they 100% fit in. More specifically we offer treatment for anxiety/OCD, and depression at La Jolla Therapy Center. If you don’t live around San Diego or the commute makes in-person therapy impossible, all of our services are available via online therapy to anyone physically located in California. Therefore, we work with clients from Sacramento to Palo Alto or even Mountain View. You and your family deserve to finally feel less overwhelmed, so let’s get started!
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