Larry was a seventeen year old high school junior who was exhibiting several alcohol-related difficulties at school. For that reason, the principal explained to him that he had to see Miss Johns, the school psychologist, before he would be permitted to come back to class.

Later that day when Larry went home after school, he had to explain his school suspension to his Mother and Father. His Mom and Dad were “fairly old-style” and explained to Larry that getting thrown out of school was not a satisfactory educational option. They explained to Larry that failing to graduate from high school would most probably be like a lead weight around his ankles that might hinder his educational attainment for the rest of his adult life. Moreover, Larry’s Mom and Dad were extremely saddened that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his friends in the second.

His Mom and Dad informed Larry that even though he may be a teenager, he has to understand rather quickly that drinking is the map to financial problems, pain, ill health, and failure.

It was obvious that his Mother and Father were out and out in full accord with Larry’s principal and explained to Larry that he needs to see Miss Johns, the school counselor. After his talk with his parents, Larry finally agreed to see Miss Johns the next school day. So Larry phoned the school and made an appointment to see Miss Johns the next day during his third period class.

The Counselor Asks Larry if He Understands Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Activities Caused Quite a Bit of Apprehension By the School Administrators

When Larry went to see Miss Johns, she promptly analyzed all of the alcohol-related difficulties Larry had gotten into and asked him if he comprehended why his recent alcohol-related actions caused quite a bit of anxiety by the school administrators.

Quite candidly, Larry wondered why the principal suggested that he see a school counselor. As he stated to Miss Johns, why should he see a professional counselor about his drinking situation? Because almost all of his buddies drink the same amount that he does, in essence, drinking is no big issue. Stated more precisely, if nearly everyone is drinking, why is this such a major issue?

Miss Johns asked Larry when he started to drink. He said that some of his older classmates introduced him to drinking hard liquor when he was twelve or thirteen years old and between the sixth and seventh grades.

Miss Johns told Larry that while his peers may indeed drink more than he does and that they may be an unhealthy influence on him, the facts are that he is the one who is getting kicked out of school due to alcohol-related delinquency, absenteeism, and fighting, not his buddies. Furthermore, Miss Johns also underlined the fact that Larry, and not his buddies, is the one who is failing and who is missing almost two days of class every week because of his alcohol related problems. Lastly, Miss Johns emphasized the fact that because of his drinking circumstances, Larry is getting into a negative cycle of abusive drinking that can at the end of the day wreck his life.

In a word, Larry’s involvement with teenage alcohol abuse was starting to thwart his ability to conduct himself like an accountable young man. As conveyed by Miss Johns, “Just because most of your pals drink hard liquor, beer, wine, or wine coolers does not mean that it is the appropriate behavior for you.”

Larry Learns That In the Long Run He Must Take Responsibility For Himself In Order to Prevent Destructive, Unhealthy, Damaging, and Dangerous Outcomes In the Foreseeable Future

Miss Johns informed Larry that one’s pals can indeed influence an individual in an unhealthy manner, but that the person himself or herself has to in due course claim responsibility for himself or herself in order to stay away from unhealthy, destructive, damaging, and dangerous consequences down the road.

Fortunately, Miss Johns was very well prepared for her scheduled meeting with Larry. She showed him reports and research studies she had highlighted that outlined different drinking facts and statistics that applied to most people in general. Then she showed Larry a lot of information that applied principally to underage drinkers.

For example, Miss Johns underscored the difference between alcoholism and alcohol abuse and informed Larry that drinkers who continue to drink in an abusive manner more often than not become alcohol dependent.

Miss Johns also articulated the concept of binge drinking which she defined as follows: consuming four or more drinks in one sitting for females and drinking five or more drinks in one sitting for males.

The Therapist States A Number Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse Statistics and Facts

Then Miss Johns conveyed the following eight alcoholism facts and alcohol abuse statistics:

1. Alcohol is a factor in nearly fifty percent of America’s accidental deaths, suicides, and murders.

2. Accidents related to alcohol are the leading cause of fatalities among adolescents.

3. Each year in the United States, just about 5,000 young people under the age of 21 lose their lives because of underage drinking. This includes nearly 1,900 deaths from motor vehicle accidents.

4. Research has revealed that U.S. teenagers who drink alcohol are 50 times more likely to use cocaine than teenagers who never consume alcoholic beverages.

5. Roughly 1,700 college students in the United States lose their lives annually–roughly 4.65 per day–as a result of alcohol-related injuries.

6. In 2005, 2.1 million American college students between the ages of 18 and 24 reported that they engage in driving under the influence of alcohol.

7. The World Health Organization estimates that nearly 76 million individuals throughout the world experience disorders that are related to alcohol abuse or alcohol dependency.

8. As shown by recent substance abuse studies, it has been discovered that nearly 53% of the adults in the United States have stated that one or more of their close family members is addicted to alcohol or is an alcohol abuser.

Larry Receives An Important Jolt of Reality About the Long Term and the Short Term Outcomes of Youth Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

After Miss Johns conveyed the aforementioned alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse statistics and facts, it was apparent that what Miss Johns revealed to Larry was a wake up call for him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only made the effort to explain the short term and the long term outcomes of alcohol abuse and alcoholism, but she also made the effort to substantiate what she was saying with alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction facts and statistics that related to everybody in general, and chiefly to teens.

To be sure, it was almost as if a light went on and Larry instantly understood why he should not be engaging in excessive and abusive drinking with or without his friends any longer. Larry thanked Miss Johns for her concern and for the information she reviewed.

Miss Johns then asked Larry how he felt about getting a physical exam and an alcohol evaluation for the alcohol abuse or alcoholism treatment he would probably need.

Larry thought about this for few minutes and then agreed to get a thorough physical exam and to go through an extensive appraisal of his drinking circumstances so that he could start an alcohol abuse or alcohol dependency treatment program as reasonable as possible.

 

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