Dante was a eighteen year old high school senior who was displaying several alcohol-related issues at school. For that reason, the principal told him that he had to see Miss Johnson, the school psychologist, before he would be allowed to return to class.
Later that day when Dante went home after school, he had to go over his school situation with his Mom and Dad. His Mom and Dad were “relatively conservative” and explained to Dante that getting suspended from school was not a viable educational option. They told Dante that failing to graduate from high school would most probably be like a lead weight around his legs that could probably impair his educational attainment for the remainder of his adult life. Moreover, Dante’s Mom and Dad were very distraught that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his pals in the second.
They informed Dante that even though he may be an adolescent, he needs to realize rather quickly that drinking is the route to failure, pain, financial problems, and ill health.
It was obvious that his Mother and Father were 100% in agreement with Dante’s principal and informed Dante that he had to see Miss Johnson, the school psychologist. After his dialogue with his Mother and Father, Dante in the end agreed to see Miss Johnson the next day. So Dante called the school and scheduled an appointment to see Miss Johnson the next day during his second period class.
The Psychologist Asks Dante if He Knows Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Actions Were Such a Cause For Concern By the School Administrators
When Dante went to see Miss Johnson, she promptly went over all of the alcohol-related problems Dante had gotten into and asked him if he understood why his recent alcohol-related actions caused quite a bit of concern by the school administrators.
Quite honestly, Dante was unsure why the principal explained to him that he had to see a school therapist. As he expressed to Miss Johnson, why should he see a professional therapist about his drinking activities? Since just about all of his pals drink the same amount that he does, basically, drinking shouldn’t be such a big thing. Stated more precisely, if almost everybody is drinking, why is this such a major issue?
Miss Johnson asked Dante when he started to drink. He said that some of his older classmates introduced him to drinking wine coolers when he was twelve or thirteen years old and in the seventh grade.
Miss Johnson told Dante that while his peers may in fact 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 thrown out of school due to alcohol-related absenteeism, fighting, and delinquency, not his pals. In addition, Miss Johnson also stressed the fact that Dante, and not his buddies, is the one who is failing and who is missing at least one day of class every week due to his alcohol related difficulties. Lastly, Miss Johnson emphasized the fact that because of his drinking circumstances, Dante is getting into a destructive cycle of abusive drinking that can at the end of the day ruin his life.
In short, Dante’s involvement with teenage alcohol abuse was beginning to foil his ability to function as a responsible young man. As pronounced by Miss Johnson, “Just because most of your pals drink hard liquor, wine, wine coolers, or beer does not mean that it is the best thing to do for you.”
Dante Learns That In the Long Run He Must Be Responsible For Himself In Order to Stay Away From Damaging, Unhealthy, Destructive, and Dangerous Effects In the Foreseeable Future
Miss Johnson informed Dante that one’s pals can without a doubt influence a person in a negative way, but that the individual himself or herself has to sooner or later take responsibility for herself or himself in order to avoid damaging, dangerous, destructive, and unhealthy effects in the foreseeable future.
Fortunately, Miss Johnson was very well equipped for her scheduled meeting with Dante. She showed him reports and research studies she had underlined that listed various drinking facts and statistics that applied to most people in general. Then she showed Dante a lot of data that applied especially to teens.
For instance, Miss Johnson underscored the difference between alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse and told Dante that people who continue to drink abusively regularly become alcohol dependent.
Miss Johnson also explained the concept of binge drinking which 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 Articulates Several Alcohol Addiction and Alcohol Abuse Statistics and Facts
Then Miss Johnson listed various alcohol facts and the following eight alcohol abuse statistics:
1. Alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction cost the United States an estimated 0 billion in 2005. This dollar amount was more than the cost correlated with obesity (3 billion) or with cancer (6 billion).
2. More than one-half of U.S. adults have a close family member or relative who has or has had alcoholism.
3. More than three fourths of female victims of nonfatal, domestic violence claimed that their assailant had been using drugs or drinking.
4. In the U.S. on a yearly basis, more than thirty-three percent of pedestrians killed by motor vehicles were legally inebriated.
5. One national survey found that students are less likely to drink alcohol if they are socially accepted by individuals at school and feel that teachers treat students fairly.
6. Research shows that teenagers who use alcohol may remember 10 percent less of what they have learned than teens who don’t drink.
7. Around 10% to 20% of the people who drink heavily 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 percent of the U.S. industrial fatalities and 47% of industrial injuries are correlated with alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction.
Dante Receives A Relevant Jolt of Reality Regarding the Long Term and the Short Term Outcomes of Youth Alcohol Addiction and Alcohol Abuse
After Miss Johnson conveyed the aforementioned alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics and facts, it was apparent that what Miss Johnson disclosed to Dante was a realization for him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only made the effort to go over the long term and the short term consequences of alcoholism and alcohol abuse, but she also took the time to demonstrate what she was saying with alcohol abuse and alcoholism facts and statistics that related to everybody in general, and especially to underage drinkers.
To be sure, it was almost as if a light went on and Dante without pause comprehended why he should not be engaging in hazardous and excessive drinking with or without his friends anymore. Dante thanked Miss Johnson for her concern and for the materials she discussed.
Miss Johnson then asked Dante how he felt about getting a physical examination and an alcohol appraisal for the alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction rehabilitation he would probably need.
Dante thought about this for a minute and then agreed to get a thorough physical examination and to go through an extensive assessment of his drinking condition so that he could start an alcohol abuse or alcoholism treatment program right away.
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