Larry was a seventeen year old high school senior who was manifesting a number of alcohol-related problems at school. For that reason, the principal informed him that he had to see Miss Johns, the school therapist, before he would be permitted to come back to school.
Later that day when Larry went home after school, he had to clarify his school suspension to his parents. His Mom and Dad were “relatively old fashioned” and explained to Larry that getting suspended from school was not a viable educational game plan. They explained to Larry that failing to graduate from high school would probably be like a lead weight around his ankles that might impede his educational aspirations for the remainder of his life. Not only this, but Larry’s Mother and Father were very letdown that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his buddies in the second.
His parents told Larry that even though he may be a teen, he has to realize rather quickly that drinking is the path to failure, pain, ill health, and financial problems.
It was obvious that his parents were completely in accord with Larry’s principal and explained to Larry that he needs to see Miss Johns, the school psychologist. After his dialogue with his Mom and Dad, Larry at long last agreed to see Miss Johns the next day. So Larry called the school and scheduled an appointment to see Miss Johns the next morning before school.
The Psychologist Asks Larry if He Comprehends Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Actions Caused Quite a Bit of Anxiety By the School Administrators
When Larry got to his scheduled appointment with Miss Johns, she at once examined all of the alcohol-related difficulties Larry had experienced and asked him if he knew why his recent alcohol-related actions caused quite a bit of concern by the school administrators.
Quite frankly, Larry was unsure why the principal told him he had to see a school psychologist. As he stated to Miss Johns, why should he see a professional psychologist about his drinking behavior? Due to the fact that almost all of his pals drink about as much as he does, basically, drinking is no big issue. Stated differently, if nearly everybody is drinking, why is this such a major issue?
Miss Johns asked Larry when he started to drink alcoholic beverages. He said that some of his older classmates introduced him to drinking hard liquor when he was twelve or thirteen years old and getting ready to enter the seventh grade.
Miss Johns told Larry that while his classmates may in fact drink as much as he does and that they may be a negative influence on him, the facts are that he is the one who is getting removed from school due to alcohol-related absenteeism, fighting, and delinquency, not his friends. Moreover, Miss Johns also stressed the fact that Larry, and not his friends, is the one who is failing and who is missing almost two days of school every week due to his alcohol related issues. Finally, Miss Johns underlined the fact that due to his drinking behavior, Larry is getting into a harmful cycle of hazardous drinking that can at the end of the day wreck his aspirations, hopes, and dreams.
In short, Larry’s involvement with teenage alcohol abuse was beginning to thwart his ability to behave like an accountable young man. As pronounced by Miss Johns, “Just because most of your classmates drink hard liquor, wine, beer, or wine coolers does not mean that it is the right thing to do for you.”
Larry Learns That Sooner or Later He Must Take Responsibility For Himself In Order to Keep Away From Dangerous, Destructive, Damaging, and Unhealthy Outcomes In the Future
Miss Johns explained to Larry that other people can definitely influence an individual in an unhealthy way, but that the individual herself or himself has to finally be accountable for himself or herself in order to steer clear of damaging, dangerous, destructive, and unhealthy consequences down the road.
Fortunately, Miss Johns was extremely well equipped for her meeting with Larry. She showed him research studies and reports she had highlighted that outlined various drinking statistics and facts that applied to most people in general. Then she showed Larry quite a lot of figures and reports that applied particularly to underage drinkers.
For instance, Miss Johns highlighted the difference between alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse and explained to Larry that drinkers who continue to drink excessively commonly become dependent on alcohol.
Miss Johns also articulated the concept of binge drinking that she defined as follows: consuming five or more drinks in one sitting for males and drinking four or more drinks in one sitting for females.
The Counselor States Numerous Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Facts and Statistics
Then Miss Johns verbalized the following eight alcoholism facts and alcohol abuse statistics:
1. As revealed by the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, there are 105,000 annual alcohol-related fatalities in the U.S. because of drunk drivers and related diseases, injuries, or medical conditions.
2. Nearly 25% of all U.S. individuals who are admitted to general hospitals have drinking problems or are undiagnosed people who are alcohol dependent who are being treated for the consequences of their irresponsible drinking.
3. Alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse are the third leading cause of preventable deaths in the U.S..
4. More than 7 percent of the population that is 18 years old and older — just about 13.8 million Americans — has drinking problems, including 8.1 million individuals who suffer from alcohol addiction.
5. 500,000 Americans who are addicted to alcohol are between the ages of 9 and 12.
6. According to one U.S. study of 18 to 24 year-old current drinkers who did not graduate from high school, roughly sixty percent began to drink before they were 16 years old.
7. Currently, around 14 million Americans, 1 in every 13 adults, are alcohol dependent or are alcohol abusers.
8. According to the research literature, non-alcoholic members of alcoholic’s families use ten times as much sick leave as families who do not exhibit drinking problems.
Larry Gets A Relevant Wake Up Call About the Long Term and the Short Term Results of Adolescent Alcohol Addiction and Alcohol Abuse
After Miss Johns presented the aforementioned alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse facts and statistics, it was apparent that what Miss Johns made known to Larry was a real bombshell to him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only took the time to go over the short term and the long term consequences of alcohol abuse and alcoholism, but she also made the effort to support what she was saying with alcoholism and alcohol abuse facts and statistics that related to everyone in general, and chiefly to teenagers.
Undeniably, it was almost as if a light went on and Larry without pause grasped why he should not be engaging in excessive and abusive drinking with or without his buddies anymore. Larry thanked Miss Johns for her concern and for the material she presented.
Miss Johns then asked Larry how he felt about getting a physical examination and an alcohol assessment for the alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction treatment he would probably need.
Larry thought about this for a minute and then agreed to get a comprehensive physical and to go through a complete assessment of his drinking situation so that he could start an alcohol abuse or alcohol dependency rehab program immediately.
