Larry was a sixteen year old high school junior who was manifesting more than a few alcohol-related difficulties at school. Therefore, 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 explain his school discharge to his parents. His Mom and Dad were “relatively conventional” and informed Larry that getting expelled from school was not a practical educational option. They explained to Larry that failing to graduate from high school would probably be like a lead weight around his ankles that could conceivably encumber his educational aspirations for the remainder of his life. In addition, Larry’s Mom and Dad were quite upset that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his pals in the second.
His Mom and Dad told Larry that even though he may be a teenager, he has to realize without much delay that drinking is the map to ill health, failure, financial problems, and pain.
It was clear that his Mom and Dad were out and out in full accord with Larry’s principal and told Larry that he had better come to the understanding that he needs to see Miss Johns, the school therapist. After his discussion with his Mother and Father, Larry at long last agreed to see Miss Johns the next school day. So Larry called the school and scheduled an appointment to see Miss Johns the next afternoon.
The Psychologist Asks Larry if He Understands Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Actions Gave the School Administrators Room For Alarm
When Larry got to his scheduled appointment with Miss Johns, she without pause analyzed all of the alcohol-related issues Larry had experienced and asked him if he understood why his recent alcohol-related activities were such a cause for concern.
Quite truthfully, Larry wondered why the principal explained to him that he had to see a school counselor. As he expressed to Miss Johns, why should he see a professional therapist about his drinking activities? Since almost all of his friends drink as much if not more than he does, in effect, drinking shouldn’t be such a big deal. Stated more directly, if nearly everybody is drinking, why is this such a major concern?
Miss Johns asked Larry when he started to drink alcoholic beverages. He said that some of his older pals introduced him to drinking wine when he was twelve or thirteen years old and getting ready to enter junior high school.
Miss Johns informed Larry that while his pals may indeed 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 thrown out of school due to alcohol-related absenteeism, fighting, and delinquency, not his pals. Moreover, Miss Johns also highlighted the fact that Larry, and not his classmates, is the one who is failing and who is missing almost two days of school every week because of his alcohol related problems. Lastly, Miss Johns stressed the fact that due to his drinking situation, Larry is getting into a negative cycle of alcohol abuse that can at the end of the day destroy his dreams, hopes, and aspirations.
In short, Larry’s involvement with teenage alcohol abuse was beginning to impede his ability to conduct himself like an accountable young man. As pronounced by Miss Johns, “Just because most of your classmates drink wine coolers, hard liquor, beer, or wine does not mean that it is the healthiest thing for you.”
Larry Learns That Ultimately He Must Claim Responsibility For Himself In Order to Steer Clear of Damaging, Unhealthy, Destructive, and Dangerous Situations In the Foreseeable Future
Miss Johns explained to Larry that others can indeed influence a person in an unhealthy way, but that the person himself or herself has to in the long run be accountable for herself or himself in order to steer clear of damaging, dangerous, unhealthy, and destructive consequences in the foreseeable future.
Luckily, Miss Johns was extremely well equipped for her conference with Larry. She showed him research studies and reports she had highlighted that summarized diverse drinking statistics and facts that applied to most people in general. Then she showed Larry a lot of figures and reports that applied particularly to teenagers.
For instance, Miss Johns emphasized the difference between alcoholism and alcohol abuse and informed Larry that people who continue to drink abusively frequently become alcohol dependent.
Miss Johns also explained 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 Lists Quite a Few Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependency Statistics and Facts
Then Miss Johns verbalized the following eight alcoholism facts and alcohol abuse statistics:
1. Alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence cost the United States an estimated $220 billion in 2005. This dollar amount was more than the cost linked to cancer ($196 billion) or with obesity ($133 billion.
2. More than one-half of American adults have a close relative or family member who has or has had alcohol dependency.
3. More than three fourths of female victims of nonfatal, domestic violence stated that their assailant had been using drugs or drinking.
4. In the U.S. on an annual basis, more than thirty-three percent of pedestrians killed by autos were legally drunk.
5. One national survey found that students are less likely to use alcohol if they are socially accepted by others at school and believe that teachers treat students in a fair manner.
6. Research demonstrates that teens who use alcohol may remember 10 percent less of what they have learned than those who don’t drink.
7. About ten to twenty percent of the individuals who drink excessively ultimately develop cirrhosis of the liver (i.e., a scarring of the liver that can be fatal).
8. Up to forty percent of the U.S. industrial deaths and 47 percent of industrial injuries are related to alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction.
Larry Receives A Much Needed Jolt of Reality Concerning the Long Term and the Short Term Effects of Youth Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependency
After Miss Johns listed the aforementioned alcoholism and alcohol abuse statistics and facts, it was obvious that what Miss Johns made known to Larry was a real shock to him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only took the time to give an explanation of the long term and the short term outcomes of alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency, but she also made the effort to authenticate what she was saying with alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction facts and statistics that related to people in general, and mainly to adolescents.
In actual fact, it was almost as if a light went on and Larry instantaneously grasped why he should not be engaging in excessive and hazardous drinking with or without his peers 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 dependency rehab he would probably need.
Larry thought about this for few minutes and then agreed to get a thorough physical and to go through an extensive assessment of his drinking behavior so that he could start an alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction rehabilitation program in a practical time frame.