Does your teenager drink? If they're of legal age, how much do they drink, and do you worry that it's a problem? Is the partying at University becoming more of a regular drinking habit? What is normal drinking at that age, and when should you worry about addiction?

Ian Hawkins talks about how his addiction began at university, how it helped him, then got in his way, and how he recovered. He talks about anxiety, using alcohol as a coping mechanism, and to "fit in"socially, and when he realised it was a problem. He has advice for parents who are worried about their teenager's drinking.

Who is Ian Hawkins?

Ian Hawkins is a keynote speaker and business journalist who has risen to the top of his game – in spite of a lot of physical and mental challenges. Born with congenital heart disease in the 1970s, the odds were stacked against him. At the age of 6, he fell seriously ill, resulting in a 3 month hospital stay. Surviving this ordeal, he had to endure further challenges, including a traumatic struggle with alcohol addiction. But Ian says it’s adversity that has driven him to fight and become the success that he is today, working with some of the best known performers and on some of the best TV programmes in the UK.

More teenage parenting from Helen Wills:

Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy, a resource for midlife parents of teens.

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email helen@actuallymummy.co.uk.

There are already stories from fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Zencastr's policy page

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about yourself or a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

This episode is produced by Michael Cunningham.