Larry was a sixteen year old high school junior who was displaying more than a few alcohol-related difficulties at school. For that reason, the principal informed him that he had to see Miss Johns, the school psychologist, before he would be permitted to return to school.
Later that day when Larry went home after school, he had to clarify his school expulsion to his Mother and Father. His Mother and Father were “fairly conventional” and informed Larry that getting expelled from school was not a tolerable educational option. They told Larry that failing to graduate from high school would most probably be like a lead weight around his legs that could quite possibly impede his educational aspirations for the rest of his life. What is more, Larry’s Mom and Dad were extremely saddened that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his peers in the second.
His parents told Larry that although he may be an adolescent, he needs to comprehend fairly promptly that drinking is the pathway to pain, failure, ill health, and financial problems.
It was evident that his Mother and Father were completely in concurrence with Larry’s principal and informed Larry that he had better make up his mind to see Miss Johns, the school therapist. 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 afternoon after school.
The Psychologist Asks Larry if He Understands Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Activities Signaled Such Alarm By the School Administrators
When Larry went to see 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 activities caused quite a bit of anxiety by the school administrators.
Quite honestly, Larry wondered why the principal informed him that he had to see a school therapist. As he stated to Miss Johns, why should he see a professional counselor about his drinking activities? Because nearly all of his classmates drink about as much as he does, primarily, drinking is no big issue. Stated another way, if nearly 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 friends introduced him to drinking beer when he was twelve or thirteen years old and in the seventh grade.
Miss Johns told Larry that while his pals may indeed drink more than he does and that they may be a bad influence on him, the facts are that he is the one who is getting expelled from school due to alcohol-related absenteeism, fighting, and delinquency, not his buddies. In addition, Miss Johns also highlighted the fact that Larry, and not his peers, is the one who is failing and who is missing at least one day of school per week due to his alcohol related difficulties. Finally, Miss Johns underscored the fact that due to his drinking activities, Larry is getting into a harmful cycle of hazardous drinking that can in time destroy his hopes, dreams and aspirations.
In short, Larry’s involvement with adolescent alcohol abuse was starting to thwart his ability to function as a responsible young man. As articulated by Miss Johns, “Just because most of your pals drink wine, hard liquor, wine coolers, or beer does not mean that it is the healthiest thing in the world for you.”
Larry Learns That In Due Course He Must Be Accountable For Himself In Order to Avoid Damaging, Unhealthy, Dangerous, and Destructive Consequences In the Future
Miss Johns informed Larry that other individuals can undoubtedly influence a person in a negative manner, but that the person herself or himself has to in the long run take responsibility for herself or himself in order to keep away from dangerous, destructive, damaging, and unhealthy situations in the foreseeable future.
Luckily, Miss Johns was very well equipped for her meeting with Larry. She showed him reports and research studies she had underlined that outlined various drinking facts and statistics that targeted most people in general. Then she showed Larry quite a lot of figures and reports that applied chiefly to teenagers.
For instance, Miss Johns explained the difference between alcoholism and alcohol abuse and told Larry that people who continue to drink in an abusive manner frequently become addicted to alcohol.
Miss Johns also articulated the concept of binge drinking that she defined as follows: drinking four or more drinks in one sitting for females and ingesting five or more drinks in one sitting for males.
The Psychologist Presents Quite a Few Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependency Facts and Statistics
Then Miss Johns stated the following eight alcoholism facts and alcohol abuse statistics:
1. As revealed by the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, there are 105,000 yearly alcohol-related deaths in the United States due to drunk drivers and related injuries, diseases, or medical conditions.
2. Approximately twenty-five percent of all U.S. people who are admitted to general hospitals have drinking problems or are undiagnosed individuals who are addicted to alcohol who are being treated for the results of their abusive drinking.
3. Alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse are the third leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States.
4. More than seven percent of the population that is 18 years old and older — approximately 13.8 million Americans — has drinking problems, including 8.1 million drinkers who suffer from alcohol addiction.
5. 500,000 Americans who are addicted to alcohol are between the ages of 9 and 12.
6. As demonstrated by one U.S. research study of 18 to 24 year-old current drinkers who failed to complete high school, almost sixty percent started to drink before they were 16 years old.
7. Currently, almost 14 million Americans, 1 in every 13 adults, are addicted to alcohol or are alcohol abusers.
8. According to the research literature, non-alcoholic members of alcoholic’s families use 10 times as much sick time as families who do not exhibit alcohol addiction or alcohol abuse.
Larry Receives A Much Needed Jolt of Reality Concerning the Short Term and the Long Term Effects of Youth Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
After Miss Johns verbalized the aforementioned alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency statistics and facts, it was obvious that what Miss Johns taught Larry was a real eye opener for him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only took the time to put in plain words the long term and the short term results of alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction, but she also took the time to corroborate what she was saying with alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse facts and statistics that related to everybody in general, and principally to underage drinkers.
Without a doubt, it was almost as if a light went on and Larry promptly understood why he should not be engaging in abusive and excessive drinking with or without his friends anymore. Larry thanked Miss Johns for her concern and for the information she went over.
Miss Johns then asked Larry how he felt about getting a physical exam and an alcohol assessment for the alcohol abuse or alcoholism treatment he would probably need.
Larry thought about this for a minute and then agreed to get a complete physical and to go through a thorough appraisal of his drinking situation so that he could start an alcohol abuse or alcoholism rehabilitation program right away.