An Anxious High School Student Displays Several Alcohol-Related Problems, Gets Suspended From School, and Has to See the School Psychologist
Larry was a sixteen year old high school sophomore who was exhibiting several alcohol-related issues at school. As a result, the principal informed him that he had to see Miss Johns, the school psychologist, before he would be allowed to come back to school.
Later that day when Larry went home after school, he had to explain his school expulsion to his Mom and Dad. His parents were “relatively conservative” and informed Larry that getting discharged from school was not a tolerable educational plan of action. They informed Larry that failing to graduate from high school would more likely than not be like a lead weight around his ankles that could quite possibly hurt his educational achievement for the remainder of his adult life. Furthermore, Larry’s Mom and Dad were extremely displeased that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his classmates in the second.
His Mom and Dad told Larry that even though he may be a teenager, he has to realize rather quickly that drinking is the path to failure, pain, ill health, and financial problems.
It was evident that his Mom and Dad were absolutely in concurrence with Larry’s principal and informed Larry that he had better make up his mind to see Miss Johns, the school psychologist. After his dialogue with his Mom and Dad, Larry in due course agreed to see Miss Johns the next school day. So Larry phoned the school and scheduled an appointment to see Miss Johns the next day during his third period class.
The Psychologist Asks Larry if He Comprehends Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Behavior Caused Quite a Bit of Apprehension By the School Administrators
When Larry got to his scheduled appointment with Miss Johns, she instantly looked at all of the alcohol-related difficulties Larry had gotten into and asked him if he understood why his recent alcohol-related actions made the school administrators uneasy.
Quite truthfully, Larry was not sure why the principal suggested that he see a school therapist. As he stated to Miss Johns, why should he see a professional therapist about his drinking behavior? Because nearly all of his friends drink the same amount that he does, fundamentally, drinking shouldn’t be such a big deal. Stated more precisely, 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 friends introduced him to drinking beer when he was twelve or thirteen years old and between the sixth and seventh grades.
Miss Johns told Larry that while his classmates may indeed drink as much as he does and that they may be a bad influence on him, the facts are that he is the one who is getting suspended from school due to alcohol-related delinquency, absenteeism, and fighting, not his classmates. 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 two days of school every week due to his alcohol related problems. Lastly, Miss Johns underlined the fact that because of his drinking situation, Larry is getting into a damaging cycle of excessive drinking that can in the long run wreck his life.
In short, Larry’s involvement with teenage alcohol abuse was starting to impede his ability to behave like an accountable young man. As put into words by Miss Johns, “Just because most of your pals drink hard liquor, beer, wine coolers, or wine does not mean that it is the best thing to do for you.”
Larry Learns That Ultimately He Must Be Responsible For Himself In Order to Avoid Destructive, Damaging, Dangerous, and Unhealthy Effects Down the Road
Miss Johns explained to Larry that other individuals can indeed influence a person in a negative way, but that the person herself or himself has to finally be accountable for herself or himself in order to keep away from damaging, dangerous, destructive, and unhealthy outcomes down the road.
Fortunately, Miss Johns was well equipped for her discussion 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 quite a lot of data that applied mainly to adolescents.
As an illustration, Miss Johns underscored the difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction and informed Larry that individuals who continue to abuse alcohol more often than not become alcohol dependent.
Miss Johns also went over the concept of binge drinking which she defined as follows: ingesting four or more drinks in one sitting for females and drinking four or more drinks in one sitting for females.
The Counselor Articulates Quite a Few Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependency Facts and Statistics
Then Miss Johns listed 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 related to cancer ($196 billion) or with obesity ($133 billion.
2. More than one-half of U.S. adults have a close relative or family member that has or has had alcoholism.
3. More than seventy-five percent of female victims of nonfatal, domestic violence stated that their assailant had been drinking or using drugs.
4. In the U.S. on a yearly basis, more than 33% of pedestrians killed by automobiles were legally inebriated.
5. One national research study uncovered the fact 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 reveals that youth who drink alcohol may remember ten percent less of what they have learned than adolescents who don’t drink.
7. About 10% to 20% of the individuals who drink excessively in time develop cirrhosis of the liver (i.e., a scarring of the liver that can be fatal).
8. Up to 40 percent of the U.S. industrial fatalities and forty-seven percent of industrial injuries are related to alcohol dependency or alcohol abuse.
Larry Receives A Meaningful Jolt of Reality Concerning the Short Term and the Long Term Results of Adolescent Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Addiction
After Miss Johns stated the aforementioned alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse statistics and facts, it was plain to see that what Miss Johns made known to Larry was a real jolt to 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 addiction and alcohol abuse, but she also took the time to demonstrate what she was saying with alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency statistics and facts that related to everyone in general, and principally to teenagers.
Without a doubt, it was almost as if a light went on and Larry immediately understood why he should not be engaging in abusive and excessive drinking with or without his peers anymore. Larry thanked Miss Johns for her concern and for the material she reviewed.
Miss Johns then asked Larry how he felt about getting a physical examination and an alcohol appraisal for the alcohol rehabilitation he would probably need.
Larry thought about this for a minute and then agreed to get a complete physical and to go through an extensive evaluation of his drinking circumstances so that he could start an alcohol abuse or alcoholism treatment program without pause.
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Tags: alcohol abuse, alcohol abuse statistics, alcohol statistics, alcohol treatment, alcoholism, alcoholism facts, alcoholism statistics, long term effects of alcohol, short term effects of alcohol, teen alcohol abuse, teen alcohol abuse statistics, teenage alcohol abuse
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