When I was a sophomore in high school, I took a drug abuse class. At that age, I did not realize that alcohol abuse actually was a sub category of drug abuse. While taking this class and learning more about drug and alcohol abuse, I read a lot about Alcoholic Anonymous, their meetings, how their programs have twelve steps, and how successful the Alcoholics Anonymous recovery program has been for individuals all through the world. I also learned a lot about alcohol rehab and the diverse alcohol rehab centers that are habitually available to individuals who engage in abusive drinking.

Some of the negative effects related to alcoholism and alcohol abuse that I learned about in this class undeniably alarmed me. The ruined lives and abundant problems experienced by most alcoholics made me feel like I never wanted to drink alcohol when I became old enough. Stated briefly, I did not want to face the wreckage and destruction that alcohol addicted people almost always encounter.

Think about this for a moment. What fifteen-year-old individual wants to face premature death due to his or her drinking behavior? What adolescent wants to become so out-of-control regarding his or her drinking that consuming alcohol becomes the object of one’s life? What teen wants to go to one of the local alcoholic rehabilitation centers to deal with alcohol-related issues before he or she becomes an adult?

What teenager wants to deal with alcohol withdrawals when he or she tries to stop drinking? Why would a person engage in drinking to such an extent that it would cause serious issues in every area of his or her life? Drinking later in life after a person has a career, a family, and develops personal responsibilities makes sense. But why would an adolescent want to sacrifice his or her education, employment, finances, and relationships for a life that revolves around irresponsible drinking?

These issues were so important that I talked about some of them in class throughout the school year. What was utterly unbelievable to me was the number of students who simply didn’t care about the negative effects of irresponsible drinking that I discussed. It was almost as if they couldn’t be bothered with the truth and how these results can shatter their lives. For the first time in my life I started to appreciate a saying that my grandfather used to say to me throughout my youth: you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.

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

Later that day when Larry went home after school, he had to clarify his school suspension to his Mother and Father. His Mom and Dad were “relatively traditional” and told Larry that dropping out of school was not an acceptable educational option. They informed Larry that failing to graduate from high school would probably be like a lead weight around his legs that could probably mar his educational achievement for the remainder of his life. Moreover, Larry’s parents were very unhappy that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his pals in the second.

His Mother and Father informed Larry that although he may be a teen, he needs to comprehend without much delay that drinking is the map to failure, pain, ill health, and financial problems.

It was clear that his Mother and Father were out and out in full concurrence with Larry’s principal and explained to Larry that he had to see Miss Johns, the school therapist. After his talk with his Mother and Father, 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 afternoon after school.

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

When Larry went to see Miss Johns, she instantaneously reviewed all of the alcohol-related issues Larry had gotten into and asked him if he comprehended why his recent alcohol-related activities were such a cause for concern.

Quite sincerely, Larry was not sure why the principal told him he had to see a school psychologist. As he expressed to Miss Johns, why should he see a professional counselor about his drinking situation? Because nearly all of his classmates drink the same amount that he does, primarily, drinking shouldn’t be such a big thing. Stated more directly, if just about everyone 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 classmates introduced him to drinking beer when he was twelve or thirteen years old and getting ready to enter junior high school.

Miss Johns explained to Larry that while his pals 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 discharged from school due to alcohol-related absenteeism, fighting, and delinquency, not his peers. Furthermore, Miss Johns also highlighted the fact that Larry, and not his classmates, is the one who is failing and who is missing one day of class every week due to his alcohol related problems. Finally, Miss Johns emphasized the fact that due to his drinking behavior, Larry is getting into a harmful cycle of alcohol abuse that can sooner or later wreck his life.

In a word, Larry’s involvement with teenage alcohol abuse was starting to short-circuit his ability to act like an accountable young man. As stated by Miss Johns, “Just because most of your friends drink hard liquor, wine, beer, or wine coolers does not mean that it is the healthiest thing in the world for you.”

Larry Learns That In the Long Run He Must Be Accountable For Himself In Order to Keep Away From Damaging, Dangerous, Unhealthy, and Destructive Consequences In the Future

Miss Johns told Larry that other people can without a doubt influence a person in a negative way, but that the person himself or herself has to in the long run take responsibility for herself or himself in order to keep away from destructive, damaging, unhealthy, and dangerous circumstances in the foreseeable future.

Fortunately, Miss Johns was very well equipped for her scheduled time with Larry. She showed him reports and research studies she had underlined that outlined diverse drinking statistics and facts that applied to most people in general. Then she showed Larry a lot of data that applied especially to underage drinkers.

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

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 Psychologist Articulates More Than a Few Alcohol Addiction and Alcohol Abuse Facts and Statistics

Then Miss Johns stated 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 obesity ($133 billion) or with cancer ($196 billion).

2. More than one-half of U.S. 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 claimed that their assailant had been drinking or using drugs.

4. In the U.S. on a yearly basis, more than one third of pedestrians killed by automobiles were legally inebriated.

5. One national study uncovered the fact that students are less likely to use alcohol if they are socially accepted by individuals at school and feel that teachers treat students fairly.

6. Research demonstrates that youth who use alcohol may remember ten percent less of what they have learned than those who don’t drink.

7. Approximately 10% to 20% of the individuals who drink in an excessive manner at the end of the day develop cirrhosis of the liver (i.e., a scarring of the liver that can be fatal).

8. Up to 40% of the U.S. industrial fatalities and 47 percent of industrial injuries are related to alcohol dependency or alcohol abuse.

Larry Receives A Much Needed Wake Up Call Regarding the Long Term and the Short Term Effects of Youth Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

After Miss Johns presented the aforementioned alcohol abuse and alcoholism facts and statistics, it was obvious that what Miss Johns disclosed 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 put in plain words the short term and the long term results of alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse, but she also took the time to validate what she was saying with alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction statistics and facts that related to everyone in general, and particularly to teenagers.

Definitely, it was almost as if a light went on and Larry instantly understood why he should not be engaging in hazardous and abusive drinking with or without his peers any longer. 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 evaluation for the alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction treatment he would probably need.

Larry thought about this for few minutes and then agreed to get a comprehensive physical exam and to go through an extensive appraisal of his drinking behavior so that he could start an alcohol abuse or alcoholism rehab program in a reasonable time frame.