Children drink alcohol because they feel neglected

Whereas adults become alcohol abusers mostly out of poverty, children start drinking because they feel neglected. “Migrant parents seeking jobs abroad leave their children behind in the custody of grandparents, relatives or neighbors. From that moment, children do not have proper care, nobody listens to them, and this often leads to behavioral deviations, such as alcohol consumption”, Mihai Oprea, the head of the National Narcology Dispensary, has told Info-Prim Neo. There are cases when parents, on their return home, find their children in penitentiaries, says doctor Oprea. Under the influence of alcohol, children are at a greater risk of making wrong decisions concerning school, sex life, behavior in society, etc. Another factor that increases a minor’s chances of starting drinking is the family environment. If drinking in a family is common, the risk that the children will slide into this pattern is dangerously high – 6 in 10 such children are prone to develop alcohol addiction. “Dependent behaviors develop in childhood and are very dangerous. Sometimes the parents themselves push their children to alcohol addiction by letting them sip wine, beer or whatever, without realizing the risk they are exposing their children to”, warned Mihai Oprea. Statistics in recent years however show that the number of children admitted to the National Narcology Dispensary for alcohol-related treatment is relatively constant, even with a slight improvement. According to the Ministry of the Interior, there are about 200 minors under supervision after committing offenses under the influence of alcohol.