Larry was a fifteen year old high school sophomore who was manifesting quite a few alcohol-related difficulties at school. Consequently, the principal explained to him that he had to see Miss Johns, the school psychologist, before he would be allowed to come back to class.
Later that afternoon when Larry went home after school, he had to go over his school situation with his Mother and Father. His Mother and Father were “relatively old-style” and explained to Larry that dropping out of school was not a doable educational option. They explained to Larry that failing to graduate from high school would more likely than not be like a lead weight around his legs that could probably harm his educational achievement for the rest of his life. Furthermore, Larry’s Mother and Father were very discontented that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his classmates in the second.
His Mother and Father explained to Larry that although he may be an adolescent, he has to realize without much delay that drinking is the path to financial problems, ill health, failure, and pain.
It was obvious that his Mother and Father were absolutely in accord with Larry’s principal and told Larry that he needs to see Miss Johns, the school psychologist. After his chat with his parents, Larry in due course agreed to see Miss Johns the next day. So Larry phoned the school and made an appointment to see Miss Johns the next morning.
The Psychologist Asks Larry if He Knows Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Behavior Caused Quite a Bit of Apprehension By the School Administrators
When Larry arrived at his scheduled appointment with Miss Johns, she instantaneously analyzed all of the alcohol-related problems Larry had gotten into and asked him if he comprehended why his recent alcohol-related activities were such a cause for concern.
Quite truthfully, Larry was unsure why the principal told him he had to see a school therapist. As he expressed to Miss Johns, why should he see a professional counselor about his drinking situation? Because virtually all of his buddies drink the same amount that he does, for all intents and purposes, drinking shouldn’t be such a big deal. Stated more precisely, if nearly everybody is drinking, why is this such a big deal?
Miss Johns asked Larry when he started to drink. He said that some of his older classmates introduced him to drinking wine when he was twelve or thirteen years old and getting ready to enter the seventh grade.
Miss Johns informed 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 kicked out of school due to alcohol-related fighting, delinquency, and absenteeism, not his pals. Moreover, Miss Johns also emphasized the fact that Larry, and not his pals, is the one who is failing and who is missing at least two days of school per week because of his alcohol related issues. Finally, Miss Johns stressed the fact that due to his drinking activities, Larry is getting into a harmful cycle of alcohol abuse that can finally wreck his life.
In a word, Larry’s involvement with teenage alcohol abuse was starting to foil his ability to act like an accountable young man. As pronounced by Miss Johns, “Just because most of your buddies drink beer, wine, wine coolers, or hard liquor does not mean that it is the best thing to do for you.”
Larry Learns That At the End of the Day He Must Take Responsibility For Himself In Order to Steer Clear of Unhealthy, Dangerous, Damaging, and Destructive Circumstances In the Foreseeable Future
Miss Johns explained to Larry that other people can unquestionably influence an individual in a negative manner, but that the individual himself or herself has to eventually be accountable for herself or himself in order to prevent unhealthy, dangerous, destructive, and damaging outcomes in the foreseeable future.
Luckily, Miss Johns was extremely well equipped for her scheduled time with Larry. She showed him reports and research studies she had underlined that outlined various drinking facts and statistics that applied to most people in general. Then she showed Larry quite a lot of data that applied especially to adolescents.
For instance, Miss Johns underscored the difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency and informed Larry that individuals who continue to drink in a hazardous manner regularly become addicted to alcohol.
Miss Johns also went over the concept of binge drinking that she defined as follows: drinking five or more drinks in one sitting for males and consuming four or more drinks in one sitting for females.
The Counselor Lists Several Alcohol Dependency and Alcohol Abuse Facts and Statistics
Then Miss Johns listed the following eight alcoholism facts and alcohol abuse statistics:
1. As shown in one study, nearly 11% of 8th-graders, 22% of 10th-graders, and 27% of 12th-graders reported that they engaged in abusive drinking.
2. Between 48% and 64% of the individuals who pass away in fires have blood alcohol levels demonstrating inebriation.
3. Pre-teens who are drinking alcohol by 7th grade are more likely to exhibit delinquent behavior, substance abuse, and academic problems in both high school and middle school.
4. In the United States, 33% of all suicides, 25% of all emergency room admissions, and more than 50% of all homicides and incidents of domestic violence are alcohol-related.
5. In the U.S. among drivers between the ages of 15 and 20, deadly accidents involving a single vehicle at night are three times more probable to be alcohol-related than to other fatal accidents.
6. In the United States, more than 40 percent of the people who start drinking before the age of 13 will develop alcohol dependency or alcohol abuse at some point in their lives.
7. In the United States, by the time they are high school seniors, 80% of teens have drank alcohol and 62% have been inebriated.
8. Treatment for alcohol dependency has been shown to decrease criminal activity up to 80% among long-term offenders, has reduced their health care costs, decreased their homelessness, and increased their rate of employment.
Larry Receives An Important Wake Up Call About the Short Term and the Long Term Outcomes of Teen Alcohol Addiction and Alcohol Abuse
After Miss Johns listed the aforementioned alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency facts and statistics, it was evident that what Miss Johns taught Larry was a real shock to him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only made the effort to give an explanation of the long term and the short term results of alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency, but she also took the time to validate what she was saying with alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse statistics and facts that related to people in general, and particularly to young people.
Definitely, it was almost as if a light went on and Larry promptly grasped why he should not be engaging in excessive and abusive drinking with or without his friends anymore. Larry thanked Miss Johns for her concern and for the information she discussed.
Miss Johns then asked Larry how he felt about getting a physical examination and an alcohol evaluation for the alcohol abuse or alcohol dependency treatment he would probably need.
Larry thought about this for few minutes and then agreed to get an extensive physical examination and to go through a complete appraisal of his drinking condition so that he could start an alcohol abuse or alcohol dependency rehabilitation program as soon as possible.
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