"The teens felt that they were more themselves when they drank. We found that interesting," says researcher Øystein Skjælaaen.
Together with three colleagues, he has studied adolescents' experiences with alcohol, smoking, and cannabis.
They conducted in-depth interviews with 145 Norwegian adolescents from lower secondary and upper secondary schools all over Norway.
An extraordinary feeling
The teens talk about their very first experiences with alcohol.
Annonse
"Those of us who drink a little regularly know what to expect. The experience of the extraordinary is perhaps a little stronger for teens. It's something beyond the usual and the ordinary," says Skjælaaen.
"Alcohol influences the experience of who you are and who you can be. It's a new and unique experience of freedom. Part of that freedom comes from the opportunity to express yourself in slightly new ways," says Skjælaaen.
The teens reported that drinking brought out positive aspects of their personality.
Not an encouragement to drink
"I don't want this to read as an encouragement for teens to start drinking," Skjælaaen stresses, adding:
"We're simply looking at a reality that exists and trying to understand what young people do. "
Young people today drink less than before. The number of Norwegian 15- and 16-year-olds who say they have consumed alcohol has steadily declined since the turn of the millennium, according to the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (link in Norwegian).
"Are you afraid that young people will miss out on something if they stop drinking?"
"Well, they're not stopping altogether. While there has been a decline, the majority of Norwegian youth still drink alcohol," says Skjælaaen.
"Even though there's a decline that we can try to understand in numerous different ways, alcohol remains a central part of youth culture," he says.
And he is not worried about the decline. Skjælaaen says that alcohol is not the only way to experience something extraordinary or feel a great sense of freedom.
Skjælaaen points out that people also achieve this through sporting events and religious communities.
Alcohol is still a very central part of youth culture, says researcher Øystein Skjælaaen. He has looked at the positive effects alcohol has on young people.(Photo: Marte Dæhlen)
Is alcohol really that bad if it creates a positive experience?
Annonse
Zero drinks a week is the recommendation given by Norwegian authorities in the dietary guidelines.
If adolescents feel better and make more friends because of alcohol, can't this compensate for some of the negative effects alcohol has on the body?
"It depends on how we define what is healthy and unhealthy, and what constitutes good and bad health," says Skjælaaen, adding:
"Dietary guidelines are very medically oriented. That can make them seem a bit distant – they don't necessarily align with people's actual experiences."
He finds that discussions about youth and alcohol often focus on vulnerability and risk.
"For us, it was important to truly understand why a clear majority of young people start drinking. We assume that youth are rational individuals, even though their minds and bodies are going through significant changes," he says.
Does not like how it affects her
Saba Rivani started drinking when she was around 16 years old. Now, at 19, she has stopped completely.
"Do you relate to the idea that alcohol makes people feel more like themselves?"
"Not really, but I understand where that perspective comes from," Rivani tells sciencenorway.no.
She quit drinking because she experienced the opposite effect. She did not like how alcohol affected her.
"Sometimes, it's unsettling when you realise you're not quite yourself," she says.
Saba Rivani has stopped drinking alcohol herself but understands why many young people do.(Photo: Private)
Even though Rivani felt alcohol had a negative impact on her, she knows many young people who enjoy that very effect.
"Those who are shy become completely different when they drink alcohol. That's why we have freshers' week in this country – so people can get to know each other while drinking," she says.
She understands why not everyone makes the same choice as she did.
"If alcohol helps them, then it helps them," says Rivani.
Trauma researcher calls for more reflection
The study includes a diverse selection of participants and a large number of informants, according to Lars Lien. He is a professor and head of the trauma research group at the University of Inland Norway.
However, Lien feels the researchers could have included more critical reflection.
"I get the impression that they're somewhat leading the teens with their questions, assuming there must be some positive aspects as well. This is something that could have been discussed," he says.
Older participants, who had more experience with alcohol, were interviewed individually, while the younger ones were interviewed in groups.
Lien believes it would be interesting to examine how the group dynamics influenced the responses.
He also wonders about the experiences of those who do not drink.
"Do they feel very left out? That aspect is missing from the study," he says.
Lars Lien is a professor at the University of Inland Norway and has researched why people drink alcohol.(Foto: Lars Bjarne Mythen / INN)
Provides valuable insights into the causes
In his own research, Lien has also focused on the positive effects that patients experience from using intoxicants. For these individuals, alcohol use has escalated into abuse.
"Understanding these effects can help explain why they continue to drink. This is crucial for providing effective treatment," he says.
Lien believes this study offers a fresh perspective.
In his research, people often say they continue drinking because it helps alleviate depression, irritability, and racing thoughts.
This contrasts with the responses from the teens in the new study, who associate alcohol with freedom and community. These reasons are also worth considering, Lien points out.
When does a good atmosphere turn bad?
Lien emphasises the important distinction between alcohol as a social lubricant and alcohol as a coping strategy in life.
"People need to develop good coping strategies to live a fulfilling life. Alcohol is not a good coping strategy," he says.
As shown in the film Another Round: It ends badly, says Lien.
"The sense of community that adolescents associate with drinking alcohol can also be found in other settings and situations," he says.
However, young people also report negative experiences, such as aggression.
"It would be interesting to explore when exactly the atmosphere shifts good to bad," says Lien.
"Alcohol breaks down the body from the very first drop"
"Why is there so little discussion about the positive experiences people have with alcohol in a health context? Mental and physical health are connected, aren't they?"
"I don’t really buy into that argument. I would rather emphasize that alcohol has no positive health effects. It begins to break down the body from the very first drop," says Lien, adding:
"That said, people shouldn’t be deprived of the opportunity to use a substance that also has enjoyable effects. Like when adults have a glass of wine together – they're engaging in a pleasant social activity. But you can create just as much connection and enjoyment in other ways."
Skjælaaen et al. 'Frihet og vennskap. Om ungdom og rusopplevelser' (Freedom and friendship. On intoxication among adolescents), Nordic Journal of Youth Research. vol. 5, 2025. (Abstract)
