Torrey Conference 2008 - Becky Tirabassi and Teen Alcoholism

The very colorful Becky Tirabassi was the hit of this year’s Torrey conference. With a joyous energy and a passionate nature, she strode across the stage exclaiming “I’m so on fire for God, I’m the kind of Christian other Christians hate!” Despite her very interesting ideas on chastity, what was so enrapturing about Becky Tirabassi was her testimony. At fifteen year old, she became an alcoholic the moment she took her first sip of alcohol. Coming from a family of closeted alcoholics, she didn’t admit she suffered from alcoholism until she was twenty one years old. Interestingly enough, her conversion came with the help of a church janitor, after drinking too much landed her in the bed of a man she didn’t know who wasn’t her boyfriend. Although Tirabassi’s alcoholism ultimately lead her to God and Christianity, many alcoholics are not so lucky. The New York Times defines alcoholism as drinking alcoholic beverages at a level that interferes with physical health, mental health, and social, family, or job responsibilities. While alcoholism in adults is detrimental, teenagers who drink alcohol heavily before the age of 16 are 60 percent more likely to become alcoholics later in life, according to a study by The Institute of Child Health. A big problem is how little parents know their children are drinking.
In a study described in the NYT, 591 teenagers were interviewed about their drug and alcohol use, then compared with what the parents of the teenagers thought they were using. 54.4 percent of the adolescences reported drinking alcohol at least one, whereas only 30.5 percent of the parents thought their child had ever drank alcohol. 23.6 percent of teenagers said they had been drunk and only 8.1 of parents thought their child had. In a different study, NYT reports that “47 percent of those who begin drinking alcohol before the age of 14 become alcohol dependent at some time in their lives, compared with 9 percent of those who wait at least until age 21.” Interestingly, the same study found that the teen brain is more damaged by alcohol than the adult brain. In a study done in the UK and reported by BBC, “One in seven 16 to 24 year olds have had unprotected sex when drunk, while one in five had sex they later regretted. One in 10 have been unable to remember if they had sex the night before and 40% believe they are more likely to have casual sex after drinking.“ With such staggering statistics, it is no wonder that teenagers are becoming pregnant and having abortions. What I took most from Becky Tirabassi in the realm of sex was that sexual promiscuity is like Russian roulette – eventually you’ll get shot. The links between sex and alcohol use is obvious. Alcohol decreases your ability to make decisions wisely and making those decisions without careful consideration can land you in an unwanted pregnancy or an STD hot box.