How can alcohol affect children and young people’s mental health?

We know how harmful alcohol can be for adults as it is linked to 200 different diseases and injuries including heart disease, liver disease and seven types of cancer. But the risks are even greater for children and young people under 18 whose minds and bodies are still developing.

Consultant psychiatrist Prof Eilish Gilvarry explains how alcohol can affect young people’s mental health.

Parental supply of alcohol – the evidence

It’s not always easy knowing the right thing to do as a parent when it comes to alcohol. But research is starting to become overwhelming that giving alcohol to children – even small amounts with the best intentions – carries a risk of giving your child a taste for it.

Alcohol marketing and young people: why our young people are still on the frontline?

Children and young people are exposed to alcohol on a daily basis through a variety of ways including mass media advertising and marketing and social media.

Dr Nathan Critchlow, a Research Fellow at the University of Stirling, explains when it comes to young people, the evidence is overwhelming that awareness of alcohol marketing is linked with starting to drink and drinking more.